The Slayer, The Recruit & The Initiative
by COMPO1976
Summary: Clark Kent is off to UC Sunnydale for a recruitment week, but when he wanted a quiet week he should have stayed in Smallville as he must work with the Slayer to fight against the Initiative and their mysterious funder and experiments.
1. The Boy From Smallville

SMALLVILLE

_The Slayer, the Recruit and the Initiative_

-Chapter One-

_The Boy from Smallville_

The golden sun shone, it had not long risen, it always did wake Clark Kent, a tall dark haired seventeen year old farm boy. But, it wasn't the fact of him being raised on a farm that made the sun his own personal alarm clock, it was the fact that he wasn't even born on Earth or this Galaxy. Clark Kent was an alien. The last survivor of a great civilization, or so he'd been told, from what he'd seen of them they were nothing of the sort. But then he hadn't really seen anyone from his planet just heard the benevolent voice of his father, Jor-El, in a cave.

The very though of his biological father made his blood boil, for two years he craved to finally meet his parents only to find what he got wasn't what he wanted or expected. Every time he came into contact with Jor-El something bad happened, forcing him to leave Smallville caused him to run away to Metropolis. His father had had a heart attack after receiving powers from Jor-El after making a deal to get him back from Metropolis. The guilt of that event wasn't entirely on Jor-El's shoulders, it was on Clark's himself; he had run away and rampaged through Metropolis. It seemed that his father, Jonathon Kent always got the worst out of the confrontations with his biological father, being put into a coma when Jor-El trapped Clark in the Kawatche cave wall reprogramming him into a _true_ Kryptonian. Clark sighed as he thought of yet another mission Jor-El had in store for him, finding the three stones of power, Clark or rather Kal-El had already found one with the one Lionel Luthor had still missing, leaving two unaccounted for. He had to find them fast, before they fell into the wrong hands, mainly Lex's, as much he was his friend Clark couldn't ignore the dark impulses inside Lex when it came to the stones.

Clark felt a sigh of relief as he looked out from the Kent Barn loft to see the morning sun rise, already packed and ready for his trip. A break from any weirdness, alien artefacts and no missions from Jor-El. For the next week he'll be Clark Kent: college student or rather visitor since he'd turned down his scholarship to MCU he had decided to start visiting college's all around America well mainly the ones he was interested in, this week it was UC Sunnydale. The very name told him it was a small town, he liked that, it felt like home. He didn't like big city living it was too noisy, too busy. He liked quiet, it kept to it's self much like him. Maybe that was the attraction going to a quiet place would make it easier to hide his secret. He hoped.

"You all packed?" his father's voice appeared behind him. Clark turned to see his father Jonathon Kent, a blond haired man with a strong build, stood there in his usual work clothes, plaid and jeans, like him. Plaid and jeans seemed to be a Kent's style of clothing far behind everyone else's though it didn't matter to them it suited their line of work.

"Yeah I'm ready," Clark said wearing his usual red t-shirt and jeans, blue and red always was his favourite colours. He walked over to the couch next to him picking up his blue jacket and throwing it over his shoulders along with his school gym bag.

Jonathon looked nervous he never did like Clark leaving the farm. "You sure you want to do this," he asked Clark cautiously; "Sunnydale's a long way from home."

"So is California," Clark chuckles looking at his dad knowingly, "Dad I'll be fine. I'll keep to myself no one will ever know my secret. We've kept it secret for nearly fifteen years I think we can last a week."

"Okay, but be careful Clark we don't know much about this town," he replied turning around and walking down the stairs. Clark followed him as they continued to talk.

"It was good of Lex to let me use his private jet," Clark said brightly though knowing his father wouldn't feel the same way. His father never did have a soft spot for anything with the name Luthor. It wasn't that he thought Lex was like his father, god knows Clark had seen that side of Lex it was the fact that he had once been obsessed with Clark that made him distrust Lex.

"Yeah it is son, but don't forget he did investigate you for nearly three years," Jonathon said reminding Clark yet again of what caused a canyon sided rift in Clark and Lex's relationship.

"I know dad," Clark said reminded of the betrayal Lex caused him, "I didn't forgive Lex straight away... I sometimes don't think I truly have or will forgive him. But I got to try. There is good in him. You and mom taught me that."

"Just be careful is all I'm saying son," Jonathon said understandingly. "With both Lex and while your at college."

"I look forward to meeting you," Lex Luthor, newly made CEO of LuthorCorp said as he sat alone in his study on the phone to one of his most important clients. A bald headed man wearing an expensive suit he usually wore when conducting business, even on by phone. "You project although otherworldly does hold some truth, we do have to be ready I hope my funding will be most satisfactory."

He stopped as Clark walked inside, he never did like conducting business with Clark around, it made him feel dirty, mainly because that was his business, always dirty. "I'll call you back," he said putting the phone down. He smiles at Clark, "though you'd be used to travelling by now."

"Guess you can't take the farm from the boy," Clark joked nervously. "I hope this place feels like home more than any of the others."

"Feel like Smallville?" Lex said with a knowingly which made Clark smile, Smallville never was a normal town, the meteor shower that brought Clark to Earth had endowed people with mutant abilities. Not so normal for a small town, "I doubt any town will feel quite as... normal as this."

"If you can use that term," Clark quipped.

"Oh err... I'll be going with you I have some business to conduct there," Lex said putting his coat on, "I'm hoping to build a plant there I wanted to see what the town was like before I made any decisions."

"And the fact I was going there had nothing to do with this business?" Clark asked suspiciously.

Lex smiled to try and avoid suspicion. "No, but the fact I get to travel with my best friend does make this flight a little bit easier," Lex said graciously he starts putting files into his briefcase, "so where are you staying while you're there?"

"Err... TA for psychology has offered me a room at his fraternity," Clark said.

"So partying with the frat boys?" Lex chuckled with a mischievous smile. "Have fun. And you're lucky; I hear the professor there has made some intriguing theories in her new book. I found it quite intriguing though a bit skittish."

"Right," Clark said not really concerned about the psychology part of things.

"Don't be so nervous Clark," Lex said, "least you got me there, I'll only be there for a couple of days but I'll make sure you're alright."

"That's okay," Clark said, "I kinda already know a local. Hope she still lives there."

"_She_?" Lex said surprised and a little curious, "and where did you meet her? That's not where you were all summer was it?"

Clark chuckled. "Now that would be telling," he said avoiding the questions about him being missing the whole of the summer before senior year. He had been gone for three months with no explanation, and explanation he knew Lex wanted but was keeping at bay. For their friendship. He was glad for that. But that didn't stop him being cautious. Besides, a mystery girl Lex knows nothing about makes it so much more the better, Clark though to himself, "all I'm saying is she's one hell of a girl."


	2. The Girl From Sunnydale

-Chapter Two-

_The Girl from Sunnydale_

The moon shone through an encirclement of clouds that rotated around it. It shines down on Sunnydale, home of monsters and the supernatural and as many graveyards than it has people. One of the main reasons for the strange occurrences was the fact that this town was built on a Hellmouth, a gateway to Hell itself and a beacon of sorts to all supernatural and evil beings. This meant that all of the creatures of the night were investing this small town, sucking the blood, siring or killing the inhabitants, giving Sunnydale the biggest death and missing person's rate in the United States. Vampires, demons and now government agents running around the town did not bode well with its sole protector: _The Slayer_.

Revered throughout the demonic world as the chosen one, the one and only protector against the forces of darkness. She is a legend, some believing her to be a myth, many want to kill her, many want to sire her and some just want to hide from her and the rest of the world, until the night comes and then that is when they will rise and she must stop them with her ongoing battle.

And tonight is no different as Buffy Summers flipped over a headstone feeling the familiar cold hard surface of the headstone. A pain hit her back but, not enough to stop her, slayer strength helping her out. She rolled on to the floor getting up on her knees and blocking the vamp's kick to her head, she bats it away getting into a handstand and kicking it in the head. It stumbles. Buffy flipping to her feet and sweeping its feet from under it.

"So what? Did you think I'd be that easy?" Buffy moaned giving her enemy her usual smack talk.

It lunges at her. She flips it slamming it on the floor jumping down on it stabbing it in the chest with a wooden stake. Dust explodes from it as it ceases to be. Buffy sighs exasperated. "Boo, you bore

"Buffy?" came a familiar voice from behind her. Buffy spun around to see her boyfriend Riley Finn walking up behind her in his Commando gear, the traditional protective gear for those within the Initiative. Government task force assigned to protect and eliminate all supernatural threats residing in the Sunnydale. The fact that they and Buffy were both enemies post Maggie Walsh's death at the hands of the cybernetic monster, Adam, made her and Riley's relationship hard to work. They were inexperienced and way over their heads as Buffy would usually curse about them, though she discluded Riley from this list of course, but this was _her_ turf, she was the Slayer and they were treating her like the enemy of the state. Now she knew why Giles hated technology, it made it hard for her to work with them when they disregard the mythical nature of fighting creatures like this; all they cared about was cutting them up for their mad experiments.

"Riley?" she said surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"My squad is coming this area," he replied holding his tazer gun down to his side. There is an awkward silence. Why? Buffy thought, why was things awkward? It shouldn't be, they were on the same side. Weren't they? "You'd better get going before they see you."

"What?" Buffy said taken aback and hurt. "Why should I go?"

"Buffy this is a government mission in progress, they can have you removed," Riley replied a little gingerly.

"They can try," Buffy mumbled, "besides, you guys won't find anything here. I've slain at least ten vamps tonight there won't be any tonight."

"You scared them away?" Riley chuckled.

"Yeah," Buffy smiled, "not ruining your fun, am I?"

"Maybe a little," Riley smirked, "but right now it's not the sort of fun I'm after."

He leaned in for a kiss, Buffy placing a finger on his lips pushing him away softly. "Not tonight G.I. Joe. You have work to do, paper work and that."

"Like you said," Riley persisted leaning in to her, "there won't be any other Hostiles tonight."

Buffy smirked moving into him both of them kissing the other passionately. It had been so long since she had tasted Riley let alone touch him, she had almost forgotten what it felt like. She didn't like his commando gear when they kissed, too many layers. Someone coughed behind them. They parted looking behind Riley to see a rather cold looking Forrest Woods stood there. He always seemed to turn icy whenever Buffy was around, Buffy the same, both of the returning each others glares with Riley stuck in the middle. "We got a call from the general," Forrest said stiffly yet his cold stare always at Buffy. "We need to go in for debriefing."

"Okay, go and wait with the others I'll meet you back there," Riley replied. Forrest sighed exasperated leaving the two of them alone again.

"Your boyfriend's not liking your bit on the side," Buffy said jokingly yet with a cold tinge in her voice.

"Forrest just has a hard time adjusting to you," Riley replied trying to keep things civil, he always did try even though he always sided with Buffy, she was right after all. "And what with Professor Walsh's death..."

"Which he blames me for," Buffy snapped indignantly.

"Hey I'm on your side, remember," Riley said taking her hands and kissing them tenderly. "I saw Adam too, just the Initiative isn't really taking my word at the minute but, they will soon. Things just have to cool off for a while."

"Not unless the Earth cracks open and time rewinds," Buffy joked sarcastically.

"Well, knowing our line of work that might just happen," Riley quipped. They stand in silence as they know they must leave and not knowing when they will see each other again. This had been the second time Buffy had been alone with Riley in a matter of two weeks. Each time being when they were fighting demons or supernatural forces, she had seen him a couple of times during college but he was with his Initiative buddies and would have to go off to do work. Tomorrow would be no different.

Buffy walked into her dorm room in Stephenson building to find Willow still awake, probably back from her Wiccan group. She looked up anxiously at Buffy as she puts her weapons away in her bag. "So, you stake anything?" she asked excitedly.

"Ten," Buffy said dully, "four demons and six vampires."

"Shouldn't you be happy," Willow asked confused sitting up as Buffy sat down on her bed. "I mean that's a lot in one night... and your not even hurt or bruised."

"Aren't I?" Buffy said quickly tears welling in her eyes, "when the only time I see my boyfriend lately is during his recon work."

Willow looked at Buffy understandingly getting herself confortable. "Well you see him round campus and you know during psyche class," she said trying to stay positive.

"And have his frat boy friends take him away to some debriefing," Buffy said glumly.

"Well you know, with Professor Walsh dead, I'd imagine you know things wouldn't be all hunky dory there and they'll need to have talks about their operation and stuff," Willow replied reassuringly, "its not like he's ignoring you."

"I know," Buffy said lying down on the bed still in her clothes, "just feels like I'm being pushed away or someone's prying us apart."

"I know things are hard Buffy but, they'll get better," Willow said coming over and sitting next to Buffy stroking her hair soothingly, "Riley loves you. He wouldn't give up on you so easy. He'll try and find a way to see you. I know he will. He isn't Parker."

"Thanks Will, bring up a painful memory," Buffy groaned miserably at the thought of her one night stand with Parker (the prick).

"You know what I mean," Willow said rolling her eyes, "he isn't Parker. He actually cares for you."

Willow went back to her bed leaving Buffy with her thoughts or more her inner turmoil. Was Riley worth it? Of course he was, it was the Initiative that was the problem. She knew there was something up with that place, she had to get him out of there. What were they up to? What had Walsh planned? Is what she wanted to know, what was Adam up to? What was he going to do and how would they stop him?


	3. General and Guy Talk

-Chapter Three-

_General and Guy Talk_

"Clark," came Lex's voice within the darkness of Clark's sleep. Clark opened his eyes slowly to see Lex stood over him. He smiled amused at Clark, "come on, college life awaits you, don't wanna make a bad impression now do you."

Clark smiled standing up groggily from the jet lag. Travelling with Lex did make the trip a lot easier mainly because he got past customs and security a lot quicker than a lot of people, not that he felt it was fair but still it was a perk so why not enjoy it. It felt like a minute had past within the half hour it took for them to get past customs and Clark wondered what would be next.

"Well, this is where I leave you Clark," Lex said as they reached the exit of the terminal, "I have to go meet the Mayor and then you know do the usually public relations photo opportunity. Have you got anyone picking you up? That lady friend of yours?"

"Erm... I was told the TA would be waiting for me," Clark replied nervously a hundred scenarios of what could go wrong running through his head. What if they didn't come? What if he'd come on the wrong day? Well, would it matter? Lex is here, he's not alone and Buffy is here... or does she? I mean she could have gone to a different college; they had kind of lost touch over the past year or rather since Clark got back from his brainwashing expedition. Ever since then he had just been trying to enjoy the year he had and what with Jor-El's new trial he wasn't really checking his E-Mails other than from Professor Swan. He hoped she was still here he liked her; she was like him, alone. Though he hoped not.

"That would be me," came a voice from behind Clark. A cheerful voice, welcoming, deep, a guy's voice. Clark turned around to see Riley Finn, stood behind him smiling. "Riley Finn," he said holding out his hand.

Clark takes it shaking it, "Clark Kent."

"Lex Luthor," Lex butts in holding out his hand making Clark for the first time in an hour wish Lex wasn't there. He always had to make himself known.

Riley looked at Lex taken aback put shaking his hand, well he was more star struck. "Nice to meet you, didn't think a billionaire would come out all the way these neck of the woods."

"Well I wouldn't call Sunnydale a wood but, I just came to make sure my friend Clark here got to you safely and to meet with your _superiors_," Lex said placing a hand on Clark's shoulder.

Interesting choice of words, Clark thought, _superiors_? Did Lex mean the Dean or the Mayor or something? What ever he meant Riley seems to have caught on, yet his keeping cool.

"Oh you're speaking with the Dean?" Riley said casually though wondering what Lex was up to at the same time.

"Sort of," Lex said knowingly, "it's more private talks of beaurocracy. Well, I'll leave you two. Take car of him," he pointed to Clark, "you don't want to piss off a billionaire."

"I will," Riley said not sure how to react to that. He turned to Clark for questions.

"Don't worry, he's like that," Clark said smiling weakly. "So, how far are we going?"

"Well not that far," Riley said helping Clark with one of his bags and walking him out of the terminal, "my cars just outside. The campus is only like ten miles down into town. You'll like it; it's quiet though not without a couple of parties."

"I'm not much of a night person," Clark said quietly.

"You'll there's only a few of us that are," Riley said cryptically, "so Smallville? Where about in Kansas is that?" he added as he placed Clark's bags into his car.

"Near Metropolis," Clark said as he placed his other bag inside.

"Wow," Riley said impressed, "I always wanted to go there. Big city, LuthorCorp, Daily Planet, sounds amazing."

"Well, I've only been a few times," Clark mumbled.

Riley smiled. "Don't be so nervous," he said to Clark reassuringly, "the guys are cool... most of the time. We'll show you around and don't be afraid to ask questions."

"Thanks," Clark said walking to the front passenger seat of the car. He felt good about this week.

"We are glad to have you come so far in such a short time," said General Lewis as Lex sat in the Limousine awaiting for him. "But, our operation has had some hiccups in the past few weeks."

"Which is why I'm here," Lex said forcefully, "I didn't put my money into this operation General to see it squander and fall. I'm here to get you back on track and have your people go after an artefact that could help win this war against the threat our country faces."

"I'm glad to hear that," the General replied, "but this is not my operation, it's the governments I am just taking care of it until it can be properly mended. I hope this artefact will help do that."

"It will," Lex said quickly with a look of hunger in his eyes, "beyond your wildest dreams."

The drive to campus was quiet yet both Clark and Riley tried small talk. Both wanting to stay polite. "So Clark, you got a girlfriend?" Riley said as he drove down the streets of Sunnydale, Clark looking out the window looking at the main sights. There was the Espresso Pump, a coffee shop kind of like the Talon but looked like an old petrol station, then there was the Magic Shop, Clark wondered if it did actually sell magic stuff. Not that he'd go in after Isabelle he wasn't that fond of magic. Mainly because it could hurt him.

"What?" Clark asked confused realising Riley was talking, "sorry, was just checking out the town. It reminds me of Smallville. Small and quiet, everyone knowing each other."

"Yeah," Riley chuckled, "makes it hard to keep secrets though."

"Yeah, although a life without secrets would be a life I'd enjoy," Clark said dully looking out at the window thinking about Lana and how his secret had driven her away. She was now with Jason. He was older, with no secrets. She deserved that. She deserved to be happy.

"Your telling me," Riley mumbled to himself perky up as not to ruin the drive, "so, you courting?"

"What?" Clark asked confused.

"Sorry," Riley chuckled, "I'm kind of old fashioned. I meant are you dating anyone."

"I was," Clark said sadly.

"Bad break up?" Riley asked sympathetically.

"No, she was killed," Clark said sadly.

Riley kicked himself internal for bringing the subject up. "I'm sorry," he said guiltily, "I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay," Clark said leaving the silence in the car unbearable as he remembered Alicia. She had been psychotic yet she loved him in a strange way. Had she changed? He had given her a chance but after everything that had happened maybe deep down he never did forgive or even trust her. He almost felt guilty that he could return her love. "So how about you?"

"Yeah, though we're kinda finding it hard to meet these days," Riley replied turning around a corner. "She's great. We kinda connect though sometimes it feels like things are splitting us apart. Like we are of two different worlds."

"You can say that again," Clark mumbled to himself.

"What?" Riley asked.

"Nothing," Clark said, "so what's she like?"

"Beautiful, smart, kinda tough and independent but that's what I like about her," Riley said smiling as he thought of Buffy. "You'll like her."

"Oh right," Clark said surprised that Riley is going to introduce him to his girlfriend with only half hour of knowing each other.

"So," Riley said gingerly not wanting to tread on Clark's toes, "what was your girlfriend's name?"

"Her name was Alicia Baker," Clark said softly, "she was.... not all that right. I guess all she wanted was comfort and trust. I never gave her that. Well I did, but I was always cautious of her. How about your girlfriend?"

"Buffy, Buffy Summers," Riley said as he pulled up into the campus. A pang hit Clark's stomach as he sat next to Buffy's boyfriend. She has a boyfriend? That's good isn't it? Wait, Alicia just died why is Clark bothered if Buffy has a boyfriend? "Clark, you okay?"

"Yeah," Clark croaked, "just thought of something."


	4. The Recruit and the Freshman

-Chapter Four-

_The Recruit and the Freshman_

Buffy awoke the next day. She could have slept for an eternity anything to avoid the hardships of day to day life. In her sleep life was easy; there was just her and Riley, no problems, no Faith, no Walsh. They were the two people that had wrecked everything for her and Riley up until the Walsh death and Faith's body switching everything was fine. With Walsh's death the Initiative was in turmoil so Riley couldn't see her as much as he wanted and even then, every time she kissed him it felt like he wasn't kissing her like, he was comparing her to Faith. I mean she knew that Faith was... experienced, how could she compare to that?

Wait, was she saying she was beneath Faith, she thought as she lay on her bed. How could she compare herself to Faith? The slut Slayer who wasn't worth being the Chosen One, how could she? How could he compare her to Faith? Did he compare her to Faith? Did he wish she was better than that or up to her level? Did he wish she was like Faith? No, of course not, Riley loved her. But did he? They hadn't been together that long? Was he liked Parker only after one thing? No Riley was different, but then she never did have much luck with guys she slept with. Angel went evil with one moment of happiness with her and started killing her friends, well trying her and Parker just wanted in on her pants. What made Riley different?

The alarm rang interrupting he train of thought, and boy was it a long train, like all of Buffy's thoughts they were always huge, sometimes, but only when she had a problem usually it was just about shoes and parties. Those were the thoughts she enjoyed and missed. They were easier than these thoughts, though at the time they don't seem that way. Maybe she'll see Rile today, she thought to herself excitedly yet doubting it.

"Oh you're awake," Willow said as she walked into their dorm room dressed for class, "I was just about to wake you for class."

"Thanks," Buffy replied dully, Willow sensing the glum tone that had appeared whenever Buffy spoke the past week or so. "I'm gonna go for... walk."

She walked past Willow drifting out into the hallway. It was empty, though what did she expect everyone was either asleep or in class. It made for better thinking. She resented the people who never had these thoughts, who were just sleeping right now. It made her wish she could sleep again. If only life was like her dreams, then she'd be happy, she just wished that there was some sort of light to guide her back to where she wanted to be, to where she and Riley should be. It felt almost like her feet were carrying her, like they were just taking her to an unknown place or were being called to a place. All she could see was her feet, as they led her away across Campus; the pathway between clean cut grass leads her feet searching for something or someone.

"Buffy!" a familiar voice called over to her s she stopped dead in, where ever her feet had taken her. She wanted to look, she knew it was him but, maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was just her imagination, her wanting him and yet not wanting him to go. Maybe, she just wanted to sort things out. She looked up to see that it was no trick of the imagination, Riley was definitely there, stood by his jeep waving her over to him. Buffy walked over to him, her feet almost dragging with each step.

"Hi," Buffy said awkwardly, feeling almost guilty from the look Riley gave her; a mixture of confusion and hurt. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Riley replied placing his hands in his shoulders, hunching his shoulders in awkwardness. He nodded over to the back of the jeep, the trunk open, "I've kinda had to pick up a recruit."

"For the Initiative?" Buffy asked confused, "or college?"

"Well, I'm not sure what this Initiative is but, I was here for a recruitment week," came a voice Buffy had not heard for a long while, her heart skipped as she heard it. Wait, why was it skipping? She turned around to see Clark stood there holding a bag. A huge smile across his face as he sees Buffy.

"Clark?" Buffy asked stunned not believing him even being there, how could he be?

"Hi Buffy, it's been a long time," Clark said placing his bags down on the floor as Buffy came in for a hug. She placed her head on his chest, it was soft yet hard at the same time. Though, what did she expect from a guy who was made of steel. She still had no idea why Clark was like this, it was alien. That thought made her giggle as she realised her was.

Clark held his arms around Buffy his throat drying as he did. For some reason, it felt nice hugging her, a funny feeling in his stomach, a knot and yet an awkwardness and guilt at knowing her boyfriend was watching them. They parted smiling at each other, both glad to see each other. Buffy punched Clark in the shoulder playfully, "you never called or wrote."

"Firstly, ow!" he said rubbing his arm, it wasn't that it hurt but he had to make it so Riley didn't catch on. He was surprised how he could feel the punch, she had either gotten stronger or he'd forgotten how strong she was. "And I've been busy and I may have lost your address and phone number."

"Well, you're a charmer aren't you?" Buffy said acting a little hurt, even though a part of her was, how could Clark do that after everything they went through those few days?

"Well, you did kinda catch me at my rebellious stage," Clark pointed out looking at her knowingly. She understood straight away. When she had left Clark she thought the events that had occurred between them that day would have helped Clark face up to his guilt, she was wrong by the looks of things. Maybe, she made a mistake giving him the ring back? The impulse must have been too great for him, she hadn't tasted the effects or anything like it, maybe at that point he was too far gone. Maybe, with all his strength he wasn't as strong as she was, but then she was older than him, and more experienced.

"Oh god, how I miss that stage," Buffy sighed sarcastically.

"Well, it doesn't take a genius to know you two know each other," Riley said placing a hand on Buffy's shoulder, almost defensively. Buffy rolled her shoulder away from Riley's hand.

"Yeah, we met a couple of years ago," Buffy said, "we kinda met at a bad time."

"Yeah, one moody teenaged girl and one rebellious teenaged guy," Clark said noticing the friction between the two. If he had been Kal, he would have taken advantage at that, but Riley was a cool guy and Buffy obviously liked him, though the friction between them made it hard to see that. "So, how long you guys been dating?"

"Just a couple of months," Riley said confused as to what he's done to deserve the cold shoulder. "Well, Clark do you wanna go take your bags to the dorm and I'll catch you up in a minute?"

"Yeah," Clark said looking around with no clue of where to go, "which building is it?"

"Oh right, it's that one over there," Riley replied pointing over to large building just a few feet away. "I'll be over in a--"

He stopped talking as soon as he saw them. Forrest and Graham run over to him seeming troubled, though Forrest looked more pissed to see Buffy stood there. "Riley, we got a situation," he said and glared at Buffy. What was this guys problem? Clark thought as he saw this, he tried not to glare, though why did he care Buffy was his friend he had ever right to glare at this guy. I mean whatever this situation is it's no reason to glare at Buffy for, he thought, god why was he getting so worked up about this? A better question; was why wasn't Riley?

"Right," Riley said understanding completely. "I have to go," he said to Buffy kissing her quickly, "Clark, why don't I leave you with Buffy? You guys must have lots to catch up on."

Clark could tell that Riley didn't like the idea of them two alone together, not one bit, though Clark didn't know why, it wasn't as if they'd do anything. Would they? Clark thought abruptly as the image of them popped into there head, of course not Riley was a good guy he couldn't do that to him. He wondered if Riley was going to be another Whitney, he hadn't liked Clark because he knew Clark liked Lana or maybe he was scared he'd steal her away from him. Clark watched as Riley ran off with Forrest and Graham. What ever this situation is, it's bad.

"So, nice guy," Clark said awkwardly nodding over to the three, "Riley," he said quickly and yet jokingly, "not Forrest."

"I don't remember you being funny," Buffy said jokingly looking at him suspiciously, "you sure you not wearing any red jewellery?"

"No I gave that stuff up after a month after we met," Clark said smiling at her.

"Oh so you did put it back on?" Buffy said knowingly, she knew full well she could make Clark feel guilty. It worked as she saw the guilty expression on Clark's face and the sudden sagging on his shoulders, which made him a lot of shorter than he was, not her size but still short. Buffy laughed out loud, "come on James Dean, lets go get a coffee. You can put your bags in my dorm for now."

"Don't you have class?" Clark asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I guess I could miss it for you," Buffy said shrugging a little.

"And I thought I was rebellious," Clark smirked.

Buffy chuckled, "you haven't seen nothing yet."

Oh my god, am I flirting? Buffy thought shocked though shaking it away and walking off to her dorm with Clark.


	5. Power and Chaos

-Chapter Five-

_Power and Chaos_

"Wonder what he wants now?" Riley said stonely as he, Forrest and Graham got into the secret elevator in their fraternity house.

"Well, from looks of things it looks like he wants to make the moves on your woman," Forrest said jokingly with a touch of cruelty in his voice.

"I was talking about the General," Riley said moodily, "and what do you mean by that, soldier?"

"Nothing, just the looks that guy and Buffy were giving each other anyone would think they were going to do it right then and there," Forrest said coldly only to be slammed against the wall of elevator as Riley pushed him into it angrily glaring at him.

"Don't talk about Buffy that way, she'd never do that," Riley said Graham jumping in between them.

"Leave it guys," Graham said trying to pry them apart, "we can't do this here."

"You should face it, _sir_," Forrest spat there word 'sir', "she doesn't love you and she never will. I saw the way she looked at that guy, never seen her look at you like that. And you know I'm right."

Forrest fell to the floor as Riley punched him. Forrest looked up glaring at Riley, Riley glaring at him. They both turned to see Colonel Haviland stood there looking sternly at the three of them. "Gentleman, what is the meaning of this?" he roared at them.

"Calm down Colonel," came a voice familiar to Riley but he didn't know why. "Just a few boys itching for some new way of showing their talents." Riley looked closely and in sudden shock as Lex Luthor stepped out of the sea of Lieutenants. He smiled at Riley, "that's why I'm here."

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"I've had a thought," Adam, the cybernetic killing machine made by Professor Walsh, said as he paced up and down the cave he now hid in. His followers of vampires watching as he did this. "With the new Initiative leaders taking over, it will be hard for me to anticipate their movements."

"But don't you have there guys databanks and tactis in your files?" asked one of the vampires.

"Perhaps," Adam replied in his usual monotone voice, "but human nature has the gift of imagination, they could have come up an even greater tactics that rival my own."

"What do you think we should do?" asked another minion.

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"We device a new strategy," Lex said as he stood before all of the troops of the Initiative, "you all use your powers, your technology to gain knowledge."

They all nod as Lex pauses for an answer.

"An admirable mission," Lex stated, "as history has shown us, the ones with the most knowledge or technology has the most power. With the ancient Greeks there was fire, the Roman's there was road, the British there was the Navy. These great civilizations had threats, from colonial threats to thieves wanting the knowledge they possessed. I propose we seek knowledge."

"So, what we're going to the library to study?" Riley quipped sarcastically.

"Finn!" barked the colonel as he stood behind Lex.

Lex smiled. "It's okay," Lex said waving his hand at Haviland, "maybe I should explain myself."

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"We attack them," Adam said bluntly looking over at the vampires, who seemed almost shocked by his plan.

"Whoa, you're saying we should attack them?" One of them said, "the Initiative? Do you realize what they do to us when they catch us?"

"Yes," Adam said admiring his demonic/human body, "I am the living proof of that answer."

"So why attack them?" asked the same guy indignantly.

"Think back to the Trojan Horse," Adam said, "have enough of your own men inside your enemies facility and its not hard to exterminate them from the inside and out."

"So, we get caught and then break out?" another vampire asked confused.

"Yes," Adam replied stiffly.

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"So, you're telling us that for the past year LuthorCorp has been looking for a myth?" Graham asked sceptically as Lex revealed his plans.

"It is no myth," Lex said, "in your line of work sceptism towards something paranormal is best left of your resume. But, I have seen people, dangerous people fight for these stones and I believe they all come from the Kawatche Caves in Smallville."

Lex pressed a remote a screen slid down behind him showing images of codes, or rather symbols all swimming past a black screen flickering to different parts of a cave wall showing images. "These symbols have been found all over the world," Lex said, "these stones all have these symbols, I believe they are all connected and will lead us to a treasury of knowledge, a way of us to destroy any threat that comes are way."

"So how do we find them?" Riley asked equally sceptical, "find a genie to wish us there?"

"No, you see the person who found these caves knows them better than anyone else," Lex said smiling. "I recently came upon a page from an old diary from a countess of the eighteenth century, she too seeked these three stones and left a map inside the book. The map shows where the stone is, I already have one I stole from my father and I have a theory of where the last one is."

"Where?" Riley asked still sceptical.

"With the person who discovered the caves," Lex said he pressed another switch to show a picture of Clark on the screen. "Clark Kent."

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"When do we attack them?" Adam's minions asked excitedly at the thought of causing chaos.

"Now," Adam said he pointed at the two minions of out the four, "you two spread the word. Tell your bretherins to follow your lead. They'll join you, your primitive instincts will crave for the chaos to come."

The two nod and scurry off as Adam's face cracked into what could only be described as a smile. A deformed smile through the half monsterous face. His plan is coming together. He is happy, as his data files called it.

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"Clark?" Riley cried shocked at Lex as he looked stared at the picture of Clark. "he has these stones?"

"Hard to believe," Lex said smiling knowingly, after all he had been the same as Riley though he always did have his suspicions, "it is true that Clark Kent is not what he seems. He knows more than he lets on. I want you Agent Finn to find out what he knows."

"What?" Riley said shocked. "No, I'm not gonna spy on him. Is this why I was sent to pick him up?" he cried glaring at Haviland.

"You have a duty soldier," Haviland barked.

"No, need to be so harsh Colonel," Lex said, "after all why would anyone want to spy on a guy who is 'making the moves on your woman'," he turned to the Colonel, "that will be all. We'll leave this meeting postponed until your team can dycrypt the map."

Lex walked off leaving Riley stood stonely, confliction swimming through his head. Everyone walked away from Riley splitting off as the meeting is adjourned. "Okay," Riley said, Lex stopping in his tracks along with the rest of the team. Lex turned around looking at Riley confused. "I'll do it."

"Good work, Agent Finn," Lex said smiling. "I wish you good luck. You'll need it if you're going to crack the secret of Clark Kent."


	6. Trouble at the Bronze

-Chapter Six-

_Trouble at the Bronze_

For the past few hours, Clark and Buffy had been talking, it seemed like not long had past since they had placed his bags in her room. It was there he met Buffy's friend Willow. She was nice, though a bit nervous and confused that Buffy had brought a new guy back to their dorm.

"Oh, you are not Riley," Willow said standing up and pointing at Clark as he walked in to the dorm room with Buffy. She was laughing, which seemed to shock Willow for some reason, had Buffy been upset? Clark had asked himself when he saw this. Although, Clark did remember how Buffy had been with Riley just an hour ago, had they been having troubles. A small twinge had hit Clark when he thought this. He shook it off. Buffy's a friend he thought to himself, nothing more. That's how it had to stay.

"No I'm not," Clark chuckled as he saw Willow stood there cautiously glancing at Buffy. He held out his hand, "I'm Clark Kent."

"Willow," she said quickly shaking his hand. "Errr... Buffy are you sure you want to-"

"Will, relax Clark's an old friend," Buffy said amused by Willow protectiveness and general jitteriness around Clark. Although he did make me quiver when we met in Metropolis, Buffy thought glancing at Clark. Wait, no bad Buffy, she cursed herself inside. "He's just putting his bags here while, Riley's on _business_. He's here for that recruitment week."

From then on, Willow seemed to have warmed up to him, though still giving Clark awkward and often suspicious glances when ever he looked at Buffy. It made Clark rather uncomfortable, like being looked under a microscope, something Clark had tried to avoid all his life. "So, erm... Buffy do you want to show me around campus?" Clark asked awkwardly.

And so, that is how Clark left the deadly wrath of Willow's microscopic vision, if there was such a thing, though with his vision you could never tell. With heat and x-ray vision, Clark could only guess that microscopic wouldn't be close behind. Though he hoped not, he already found it weird seeing people's bones, it would be weirder to see their atoms bionging around their bodies. Least that would keep the heat vision at bay, seeing a person's atoms would be kind of a turn off, though as Clark looked at Buffy he was remembering how his heat vision had came about. Clark shook his head as they walked through the campus trying to fling the sexual thoughts from his mind.

All in all the campus was as he thought, small not as high-tech as Met U but it had a touch of Central Kansas and Smallville High all rolled up into one, it was homely yet had a established and aged look to it. He certainly felt like he could live here for four years especially if Buffy was here. It wasn't that he fancied her, wait did he just think that? He thought, no they just friends and from the stories she had told him it seemed like a weird place to live like Smallville, but then he did wonder what it would be like to help Buffy on patrol. He'd have to ask her later.

"So, my last boyfriend turned into a murdering sociopath and your last girlfriend was a psychopath..."

"She wasn't a psychopath," Clark interjected correcting Buffy as he and Buffy spoke inside the Bronze, a club Buffy and her friends went to. Clark never liked people calling Alicia a 'psychopath', sure she had tried to kill him and Lana and had spiked him with red kryptonite, but there was a side of her that he saw, she was good. She was just alone. She just needed a light to guide her.

"Right," Buffy said sceptical, "because stalking you and trying to kill your ex is not psychotic?"

"Okay," Clark admitted nodding reluctantly, "she did do those things, but she wasn't a monster, she was just lonely and confused. Maybe, she just wanted some comfort."

"And the fact that she spiked you to get you into bed doesn't chip that looking for good in people attitude you so desperately cling to," Buffy said cynically.

"Yeah I try to block that bit out," Clark mumbled looking at her closely, "and since when did you get so cynical."

"Since, when have you seen me not moody?" Buffy retorted back.

"Good point," Clark said realising that Clark had never seen Buffy in a good mood since he had known her except after they had escaped hell and not two hours ago when they met again. "Though, I'm looking forward to see you happy for once."

"I'm always happy," Buffy said with mocked hurt.

"Buffy," Clark said knowingly.

Buffy looked at his baby blue eyes, they seemed to swim at her. They were beautiful, she thought, mesmerizing making her want to lean in close and... oh god, no! She thought we're friends, nothing more. She looked at him closely, "I think I like you when you had that ring on, you were less on the old guilt trip."

"It's only a guilt trip when you know I'm right," Clark smirked. Buffy smiled and chuckled, "so, what's up? I saw the way you were with Riley, it wasn't really the type of atmosphere for a couple to be in."

"It's nothing," Buffy said quietly.

"Buffy," Clark said knowingly.

"No Clark, we haven't spoken for a long time and just because we had a moment the last time doesn't mean you have a right to poke your nose in my life," Buffy snapped angrily the atmosphere in the club coming to a halt as everyone looked at them confused.

"Something up Buff?" asked a dark haired young man as he walked towards Buffy with a brown haired woman who looked almost, ditzy and bored by the setting. He seemed to be glaring at Clark distrusting of him.

"Yeah I'm fine," Buffy said, "just a bad day. Xander this is Clark, Clark this is Xander."

"Please, don't introduce me to your hand shaking ritual," Anya said rolling her eyes.

"Clark Kent," Clark said holding out his hand. Anya shook it. She looked at him closely.

"You look familiar," Anya said squinting her eyes trying to figure it out.

"Do I?" Clark asked, "don't remember meeting you sorry."

Anya shrugged disinterested sitting down with Xander at the table. "So where's Will?" Xander asked.

"Wiccan Class," Buffy said looking around.

"You spoke to Riley?" Xander asked her quietly. Buffy glanced at Clark who looked away awkwardly and a little embarrassed about the scene they had both caused.

"Someone mention my name," Riley said smiling as he walked behind Buffy. "Hey Clark, Buffy show you around okay?" Riley nodded to Clark.

"Yeah," Clark said shrugging, "the campus is nice. Reminds me of home."

"And where is home?" Xander interrupted.

"Kansas," Clark said looking at Xander moodily, wondering if this was another guy that had a problem. He looked over at Riley, "how was your problem?" his curiosity getting the better of him again.

"It's... sorted it now," Riley replied looking at Clark shiftily avoiding his eyes. Clark looked confused at this. What had he done? Clark looked at Buffy confused she shrugged. Riley placed his hand on Buffy's shoulder almost to show that she was with him. Clark was right when he said Riley would be another Whitney, but why? They were just friends.

"Erm... where's the restroom?" Clark asked standing up both Anya and Xander looking in awe at how tall he was. Great, like a lab rat again, Clark thought his cheeks burning as they stared.

"Yeah its over there," Buffy said pointing to the back of the club next to the stage. Clark nodded walking off to the toilet, her eyes lingering downwards. Her eyes darted to the side as she saw Riley watching her closely. She felt awkward with him being there.

"Can we talk?" Riley asked Buffy almost pleadingly. Xander nodded taking a reluctant Anya away, obviously wanting to stay and listen. Riley sat down looking at an almost nervous Buffy, she didn't want to be there, let alone have this conversation. "I'm sorry."

"Don't," she said not looking at him, "don't apologise. It wasn't your fault."

"I know, I mean how was I to know Faith had switched bodies," Riley said guiltily.

"You know?" Buffy spat angrily, "what do you mean by that?"

"Well I know it wasn't entirely my fault," Riley said, "I mean, I should have known it wasn't you."

"Yes you should," Buffy snapped angrily looking away as people glanced at them. Riley waited nervously for her to speak, Was she going to? Why did he say that? "what was she like?"

"What?" Riley asked shocked.

"Faith, what was she like?" Buffy said briskly, not wanting to know the answer, but she had to know.

"She was... different," Riley said trying not to say the wrong thing, but realising he just had.

Buffy opened her mouth to say something, more snap something as she was now in a snappy mood. What did he mean different? "Buffy!" Xander said hurriedly pushing through the crowd before Buffy can say what she wanted to say. Buffy turned to Xander a little pissed at being interrupted during her tiff or volcanic tiff. "We got a problem. Clark, Vampires. Outside. Get my drift."

"Oh right," Buffy said disinterested if it had been anyone else she may have been concerned but then, Clark did have hard skin so he'll be fine, she was more concerned about the vampire and their newly blunt teeth. But she could see everyone looking at her confused and waiting for her to take action. "oh right, I'll take care of it," she said quickly running off, knowing Riley and Xander would follow them and she knew Clark wanted to keep his secret for as long as stay here lasted. She turned to them, "Riley get the Initiative here. I'll sort this and Xander make sure no one comes out-"

Suddenly a vampire flew through the door as a blast of fire hit it threw the door. It burst into flames. Buffy knew only one being that could do that and he was stood before them all, Clark was stood in the alleyway fighting at least three vampires. He flung one ten feet into the air slamming it into the wall. Buffy ran over to its crumpled body stabbing it with her stake. She jumped one as it lunged at Clark, who punched one breaking it jaw in at least five places. She flipped the vampire over straddling it as she stakes it standing up quickly to stake the over as Clark turned it to her. There's a moment silence, Buffy breathed heavily Clark gulped as he saw her do this, he wondered if fighting demons always did this to her. He had only done this with her once and last time wasn't really time to get hot and bothered, well they certainty were hot what with it being hell in all.

"Whoa," Xander said in awe looking at Clark with wide eyes, "what do they feed you in Kansas?"

Clark gulped as he realised his secret was out. Riley eyed him in awe, and in some ways, guilt.


	7. Kal El?

-Chapter Seven-

_Kal-El?_

Clark could feel Xander and Riley watching him as he walked ahead with Buffy; they were looking at him like he was freak. His worst fear, to never be accepted upon, to be looked upon like an outsider, even Buffy's words of encouragement weren't enough as they walked to Buffy's watcher's house. "They don't think you're a freak," Buffy said to him quietly and reassuringly as they walked down Revillo Drive towards Giles' place, somehow their looks were making it hard for Clark to believe what Buffy was saying, it was a mixture of confusion and fear.

"Some how I doubt that," Clark mumbled looking back at Riley and Xander, he could help but hold back a smile as he saw Anya looking clueless.

"What's he smiling about?" Xander asked Riley, not liking that look, what was he planning?

"I don't know," Riley said looking at how closely Clark and Buffy were walking with each other. Was this a punishment? Was she giving pay back for Faith? He asked himself his jealousy bubbling.

"I don't understand why you two are acting so defensive towards him," Anya said bluntly, "Anyone would think you were jealous of him. Though it's kind of easy to understand why I mean look at him..."

Clark's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed as he heard what Anya next said. Buffy knew Clark heard whatever was making Xander go through a jealous rant behind her, mainly because of the redness of his cheeks. She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Give them time," she said, "you know it was hard for me to take it all in at first, maybe if you explained everything to them it might make them understand and be less scared of you."

"An all powerful being from another planet and you think they won't be afraid," Clark mumbled sceptically.

"And a girl who is chosen to fight vampires," Buffy replied back, "trust me they've seen a lot more to be scared of than you," she looked at him with a smile, "and besides, with the way you look the only thing, they'll be afraid of is if you steal their girlfriends."

"What?" Clark gasped shocked at the very thought.

Buffy suddenly laughed out loud, "oh god, I think I'm starting to like the new you. You're so.... good."

"Thanks," Clark chuckled, "I kind of like you when your not moody, your kind of fun. Not that I didn't have fun battling demons and vampires and fighting n hell."

"Well I do have my good sides," Buffy said smiling. She grabbed his hand reassuringly stopping him from walking away, "hey, you don't have to tell them everything. You can just tell them the small details but, trust me when I say you can trust them."

Clark nodded.

It didn't take long for them to get to Giles' place, Riley seemed to be a bit cold with Clark all the way there, maybe he had seen Buffy hold his hand, they had been having difficulties. What was it between them? Riley had thought as he saw her hold his hand, why were they so close? Did he know about her? And how come he hadn't heard about him before? As he stood watching Clark walk up to Giles' he wondered if this would make it easier for him to spy on him, the fact that he was jealous, did it make it any cleaner?

Buffy knocked on the door of Giles' apartment. Clark wondered what he would look like, Buffy had just described him as British, wasn't much to go on. He was almost surprised to see the real Giles at the door, a middle-aged man, he expected a stuffy old man. "Buffy?" he said confused looking at Clark equally confused to see a new person within the group. "What are you doing here? Is there..." he looked at Clark gingerly, "something wrong?"

"Giles its okay, he knows," Buffy said shaking her head at Giles' attempt at being aloof, "we got a problem though. Vampire attacked him."

"Oh right, yes come in," Giles said kindly in a stutter kind of way. He stepped out of the way letting them through. Clark smiled sheepishly and thankfully to Giles, Riley, Anya and Riley following them in. "Rupert Giles," Giles said to Clark holding out his hand.

"Clark Kent," Clark said taking his hand and shaking it, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

"It's alright, I was actually reading a fascinating journal on the occult," Giles said smiling excitedly at the thought of the book. Buffy thought he looked like a small child at Christmas, it was kind of sad yet funny how he could get so excited over something like that.

"Calm down G-man," Xander smirked, "anyone would think you'd just won a million bucks."

Clark smiled at them as Giles mumbled something under his breath. "Those vampires seemed almost jittery," Clark said, "like they'd been starved."

"And you've had experience with vampires?" Riley said curiously yet still keeping his guard up.

"Only once," Clark replied, "when I first met Buffy."

"Yes, sorry if I seem a little left out in this reunion but when did you and Buffy meet?" Giles asked cleaning his glasses.

"In Metropolis," Clark said.

"It was when I ran away," Buffy said looking away guiltily not able to look at Giles as she remembered how he spent three months searching for her when she had run away. Not that he found her, she didn't want to be found, after Angel and her mother she just wanted to be alone. She didn't want to be a slayer, she didn't even want to be Buffy, when she left Sunnydale she was Anne.

"Thought you lived in Smallville?" Riley said curiously as he wondered why Buffy hadn't told him, she'd run away.

"Well, Buffy wasn't the only runaway," Clark said guiltily as a pang hit his stomach at the havoc he had caused during his time in Metropolis when on red kryptonite. "I was kind of going through a rough patch and well let's just say I wasn't myself when we met."

"You mean tossing vamps like they were nothing is normal for you," Xander said sarcastically.

"Personality wise," Clark said, still not sure how he liked Xander, "and its not like I was attacking them. They attacked me remember?"

"Excuse me, tossing vamps like they were nothing?" Giles repeated curiously.

"We went out to fight some vamps that attacked him outside the bronze, threw them around the alleyway like they were nothing," Xander said, "like he had strength of ten men."

"Not to mention he shot fire out of his ear blowing them up," Riley said.

Clark looked around nervously. "So what are you a demon?" Xander asked curiously, "I mean, you got to much of tan to be a vampire."

"Let's just say I'm not from around here," Clark said.

"Yeah we know," Riley replied raising an eyebrow at his lame excuse that Clark had grown used to using when divulging his secret. "You're from Smallville, we know that, doesn't explain what you are?"

"I'm a man," Clark said defensively, though telling truth he was male, unless there was something about Kryptonian genealogy he didn't know about. His parents had always treated him like he was from Earth and even though he felt like an outsider he was one of them. He was human. In his heart.

"No man can do what you do," Xander scoffed.

"Clark," Buffy groaned exasperated with Clarks defensiveness and Riley and Xander's obvious distrust of him. Why didn't they trust him? Well she knew why Xander didn't, but what was up with Riley? He had been funny with Clark since they had left the Bronze, even before that. Was he jealous? Did she want him to be jealous she asked herself as a funny feeling hit her stomach. "Just tell them. It'll be okay."

Clark paused nodding an okay to Buffy. "I'm not from this planet," Clark said, "I wasn't born anywhere near this galaxy. I'm an alien."

"An alien?" Riley repeated sceptically.

"You don't look like an alien," Anya said looking him over almost hungrily. "You're too fleshy and muscly."

"I know," Clark said, "I was raised by humans."

"He's good Riley," Buffy said defensively, "He saved my life and helped me save others before."

Riley looked at her closely seeing her conviction. He loved it when she was like this. It made him remember why he liked her, she always could stand by what she believed. "Okay," Riley said, "sorry I doubted you Clark."

"Though, you can't blame us CK," Xander shrugged apologetically following Riley's lead, "besides, you know I never gave you a fair chance. Let's start over," he said returning to his usual cheerful self pushing out his hand to Clark, "Xander Harris, and you are?"

"Kal-El," came Giles' voice from behind Clark. It made Clark freeze his eyes almost falling out his head as he heard that name. He turned around slowly the colour drained from his face as sees Giles look at him awe. He smiled brightly and unsure, "is it you?"


	8. Swann's Secret Ally

-Chapter Eight-

_Swann's Secret Ally_

Clark froze as the words left Giles' lips, he could hardly move as his face paled and his throat went dry he could hardly say what he was about to say. "How do you know that name?" Clark said softly his voice almost breaking with terror at someone knowing about his heritage.

"I heard it whilst working with the Watcher's council," Giles replied returning to his stuttering self, "The... err.... council wanted me to work on Extraterrestrial findings before I was chosen to be Buffy's watcher. I travelled most of the world, Egypt, China, Mexico all looking for a sign of extraterrestrial life."

"Giles, aliens are in space," Buffy said confused, "why were you looking all around the globe for them?"

"Symbols," Clark said knowingly to which Giles nodded. "So does this Watcher Council know who I am?"

"No," Giles said taking off his glasses smiling weakly as he cleaned his glasses, "my employer at the time asked me not to divulge it, which I promised I wouldn't. As far as the Council is concerned Aliens do not exist."

"And who was your employer?" Clark asked looking at Giles closely.

"Virgil Swann," Giles said with a note of pride in his voice, "it was a real privilege to work with him. I-I guess he's the reason I am today... after well... my rebellious youth he became a mentor."

Buffy nodded understandably realising what Giles meant; this must have been after his dabble in the dark arts with Ethan Rayne. She wondered if Ethan was rotting in Military prison after what he had done to Giles, turning him to a monster, she wish they'd left him with her for five minutes. It only because Giles looked at her like he always did that she realised who it was. The less they see of Rayne the better.

"Swann never mentioned anyone but himself knowing about me," Clark said trying to keep his anger at bay after all Swann had sworn to keep it secret.

"Well I didn't know about you being Kal-El. I only knew that someone was coming to us," Giles replied sympathetically, "it was only when you explained your powers that I realised who you were, Kal-El."

"My name is Clark," Clark huffed at the sound of his Kryptonian name; he never did like it when Swann called him that. Now, he was dead and this man he had just met was telling him others knew about him.

"Sorry," Giles said jitterily, "its just we had been waiting for you for so long. We gave up hope. We never knew you had survived the journey."

"Whoa so G-Man, you were waiting for Clark to come to Earth? Why?" Xander asked.

Giles didn't answer he just walked out of the room off to his bedroom quickly. "Okay, so am I missing something here?" Riley said confused looking up to Giles' bedroom.

"You and me both," Buffy replied equally confused, but used to Giles running off to get some sort of book to consult from but when Giles hurried down the stairs he wasn't holding a book, instead he was holding a long box.

"What's the box for G-Man?" Xander piped up nodding to the box as Giles placed it down the table in front of Clark.

"I believe it's used to store things," Anya said as though she was explaining something very useful. Buffy closed her eyes almost amused yet utterly exasperated by Anya at the same time.

"We know that Anya," Xander said kindly yet trying to keep his patience and embarrassment at bay.

"This box Xander contains a copy of a book Swann and I was looking over for our research," Giles replied, "well a copy of a page really."

"Swann never mentioned the page to me," Clark said suspiciously.

"Swann didn't think the page meant anything," Giles said, "it showed no signs of the stones."

"You know of the stones?" Clark asked surprised.

"I helped Virgil look for them," Giles said, "for you. I hope you can decipher the page better than I can."

Giles opened the box, Clark looking closely and wondrously at it as it slowly opened. Buffy stood close next to Clark as it opened. Clark suddenly keeled over as Giles opened the box, his legs giving way as a green glow shone from the box. "CLARK!" Buffy cried as he fell to the floor everyone looking at him confused and scared. Buffy looked at the box to see the source of the problem: Kryptonite.

She hurried grabbed the rock throwing it out of the window and away from Clark. "Are you okay?" she asked Clark helping him up and checking him over worriedly.

"I'm fine," Clark said.

"Hey err... what's with the rock throwing?" asked Willow as she walked in with a bruise growing on her head.

"Ooo sorry Will," Buffy said apologetically.

"Wasn't Buff's fault," Xander shrugged, "It was Clark that got all jelly legged over a rock."

"I'm allergic," Clark said defensively still keeping his cards close to his chest. He could see Buffy smile amused by this. She had a nice smile, he thought. Clark looked away from Buffy quickly. "If I stay to close to it for so long... it could kill me."

"Did I miss something?" Willow asked confused.

"Oh, Clark's an alien and Giles' was working with someone waiting for him to come to Earth," Xander said quickly scanning through the full details of the explanation.

"Oh right," Willow said ingesting this in looking at Clark, "how come you're not green?"

"I'm not from Mars," Clark joked glad that Willow was taking this so well, although she did seem the more mature out of the group, though Clark wondered why Riley, was acting like Xander, well the way Xander was. It had only been a few seconds but, Xander's look of distain towards Clark had changed to a look of acceptance, something Clark was glad for. That was all Clark wanted, to be accepted.

"I'm sorry Clark," Giles said quickly rubbing his head guiltily and shaking his head, "I didn't know. I found that meteor at a crash site I had no idea that it had that effect on you. We thought that the site was what brought the stones to Earth."

"Excuse me what are these stones?" Buffy asked.

"The three stones of power," Anya said with boredom rolling her eyes.

"You know about these stones as well?" Riley asked surprised.

"Oh they're some human myth," Anya said brushing it off as something really boring, "we demons used to mock it since no proof came of it."

"Yes well legend maybe, the pull these stones has on man is been said to stretch for centuries," Giles said. "From as early as the twelfth century men and women of power sought the stones to gain their knowledge, tribes believed them to a transmitter, a radio to speaking to the gods. Others wanted the power that went with it. I helped Swann try to find the stones, after we found nothing but this page from an old book he asked me not to divulge it to the council. I agreed, as both a friend and student. We both felt the power of these stones would only entice the greed of man and those who sought it would use it for selfish needs."

"And plus, it is not man's right or privilege to know such knowledge," Giles added, "we had both seen first hand what those stones could do to mere mortals."

"I have too," Clark said knowingly remembering Jason, Lana, even Lex. They had all search for the stones, and still were he imagined. Lex never was one for giving up on one of his quests, even when he believed it could give him all the answers. "And that's why I have to find them before they fall into the wrong hands."

"And why do you have to find them?" Riley asked suspiciously.

"Because he was sent here to unite them," Giles said sternly at Riley, "that was what Professor Swann believed, yes?" he added looking at Clark for an answer.

"Yes," Clark said, "he was giving me information right up to the day he died, sending me an item to help me."

"Interesting," Giles said, "he must have found it after we parted ways. Do you have this item?"

"It's at home," Clark said.

"Can you bring it to me please Clark?" Giles asked politely.

"Why are you helping me with this?" Clark asked curiously yet not suspiciously. Giles had somehow gained his trust, maybe because Buffy trusted him or because Swann trusted him, either way he trusted Giles.

"Like you said Clark," Giles said softly, "if you don't find those stones, they could fall into the wrong hands and that knowledge, whatever it maybe, is not meant for us mere mortals. It is meant for the gods."

"I'm not a god, Mr Giles," Clark said hating being compared to a 'god' heck he hated how Kayla's tribe had thought he was Naman.

"Maybe," Giles said a little taken aback by being called 'Mr Giles', "but you're the one who was chosen to harness this knowledge, so you're as close as we have to a god. Now go."

Clark nodded. "I'll be back soon," he said to Buffy before zipping off at super speed disappearing from sight in front of everyone.

"Whoa," Xander said in awe.

"You can say that again," Willow said equally in awe.

"Whoa," Xander repeated jokingly.

"Giles are you okay?" Buffy asked Giles, with a note at concern at Giles' sudden strange expression. A mixture of shock and awe, he just stood there a smile creeping across his face his glasses lifting as his eyes widened.

"He's incredible," Giles awed his face brightening with pride and happiness.


	9. Riley's Calling

-Chapter Nine-

_Riley's Calling_

"So, Clark's an alien, Giles is part of some alien waiters society and there are three stones that need finding?" Xander said in an authoritarian voice.

"And?" Buffy said hopefully assuming there may be a plan forming from Xander's sudden authoritarian attitude.

"Nothing," Xander shrugged with a smile, "just wanted to see if everyone was okay with the facts."

"So, Giles how are we going to find these stones?" Buffy said ignoring Xander rolling her eyes.

"Well, once Clark is back we may be able to discover the location hidden in the page," Giles said excitedly.

"You know, he could have just used his x-ray vis..." she stopped kicking herself as she revealed one of Clark's powers without his say so. She knew he might be comfortable with Giles knowing his secret seeing as he partially already knew, but she wasn't sure about the others. She knew she trusted them, but did Clark after all he didn't know them very well. "I've said too much," she added quickly shying away.

"Wait, X-ray vision?" Xander said quickly.

"I've said too much," Buffy said quickly.

"That's awesome, I mean can you imagine having x-ray vision being able to see everyone's..." Xander trailed off looking away as everyone looked at him not wanting to know where he was going with this.

A small beeping echoed from Riley's belt as his beeper beeped causing him to jump and displacing the attention from Xander, which he was most thankful for, as the room had become awfully hot with everyone staring at him. Riley looked at the beeper from his belt. "They're calling me in," He said almost reluctantly, it was 'they' that was calling him, but 'him'. He walked over to Buffy kissing her gently on the lips, she closed her eyes longingly wanting to keep a hold of that moment. It was the only time in the past few days that she felt connected to him, close to him, like she could trust him. Then reality came back and she wondered, is he even thinking of her?

"Agent Finn," Lex said cheerfully as Riley walked into the Initiative headquarters, "I trust you have something for me."

"You think I'm going to turn over information on an innocent just like that," Riley said defensively.

"Clark Kent is anything but innocent," Lex said knowingly, "he might play the role of the boy scout but, he is more than what he seems. He knows the secrets of those stones and all the strange things that occur around them."

"If your his friend," Riley said, "I'm sure he'll tell you what it is he's hiding."

"You'd think that wouldn't you?" Lex scoffed with a tinge of venom yet still holding the cheerfulness within his voice. He had to keep Riley on side; he had to have him as a friend. He looked closely at Riley, as Riley shuffled his feet and looked away. He looked like Clark. He had seen that look for the past three years, since he knew Clark. That jittery look that could only mean one thing; he was lying.

"You know something don't you?" he asked knowingly at Riley, the other agents looking at Riley closely, they too knew he was hiding something. The Colonel looked outraged that Riley would be hiding something, from them, from the government, from his superiors and from Luthor.

"Finn! Answer him! That's an order!" the Colonel barked.

"He knows where one of the stones are or rather he is looking for them," Riley said angrily both at himself and the colonel, how could he make him do this? What you mean make you? Said a voice in his head, you could have refused.

_I can't I'm an agent I must follow orders_, Riley argued back.

Buffy doesn't follow orders, that Clark doesn't seem to either, they aren't sheep like you, the voice retorted, maybe that's why they get on so well... that's why she's torturing you because you aren't worthy.

_This isn't about Buffy_, Riley snapped back.

"Isn't it?" Lex said knowingly tilting his head inquisitively at Riley as Riley said that last thought out loud. "You've seen what happens to most women that meet Clark Kent. Thye ge infactuated. Who could blame them? All American farm boy, good guy, smart, handsome, good body on him. God, know how much he can press? And every girl wants to know that," he walked slowly to Riley, "even Buffy. That's why your doing this, because the sooner Clark is out of Sunnydale the sooner you can go back to your normal life with your girl."

"You think that bull is going to cut it Luthor?" Riley spat backing away from Lex glaring at him, "look I've told you all I know. That all I found out before you paged me..."

"You mean, there's more you could have found out?" Lex said peeved, "why didn't you stay? You could have found out more!"

"It would have blown my cover," Riley retorted angry he was been spoken to like this to someone who wasn't even part of a unit or even his superior, "Buffy heard my beeper. She knows I'm a part of this. If I didn't go she would have gotten suspicious."

Lex stopped and thought for a moment. "You did good Agent Finn," he said bluntly, "go back there. Find out more. He obviously trusts you otherwise he wouldn't have been honest about him being here... you should feel proud. Even I couldn't gain Clark's trust and I'm his friend."

"Is that what you think?" Riley replied snidely before turning away and walking to the exit of the headquarters.

Agents walk past Riley struggling to keep a hold of a demon, its restrained yet it fights wildly as it is marched to its cell, other Agents move other unruly prisoners to their cells. "The hostiles are getting restless sir!" yelled one of the agents to the colonel.

"Put them in together so we have more room to contain them," He replied.

"Sir, they'll kill each other!" Riley turned around arguing indignantly.

"You were dismissed Finn," The colonel replied coldly.

Riley huffed leaving towards the elevator ignoring Forrest and Graham as he passed him. It was only until he reached the elevator that he felt it, something digging into his chest, burning, electrocuting him, he felt ridged. He couldn't move. It hurt as an urge to go far from this place filled his entire being.

"You have come," Adam smiled as he saw Riley stood before him, stiff and frozen to attention. "I anticipated that you would. It was an inevitable occurance."

"What have you done to me?" Riley growled glaring at Adam every fibre in his being wanting to lunge at him and tear him apart. If not for the sudden dose of paralysis; he would.

"It is not what I have done but what... _mother_ has done," Adam said looking at Riley closely, "_our mother_."

"Walsh wasn't my mother," Riley said, "my mother is a good person, always wanting me to be myself...." he glared at Adam and at his body with utter contempt at what he was reduced to, "she never tried to control me."

"Mother made you better than what you are," Adam said softly, "the crude matter that covers your body has become stronger, quicker, smarter. You have been updated."

"What do you want?" Riley snapped.

"Your help," Adam replied, "my power source is depleting. My sources tell me that mother's men have found a power source that could last forever. I want you to get it for me."

"I won't do it," Riley snarled.

"You don't have a choice the chip inside you makes you a slave to my will," Adam said stepping before Riley towering over him. "now, go. And do not speak of my plans."

Riley turned and marched away his body now a slave to Adam, his mind now out of his control. He was about to do something that could destroy everything. And all because of Walsh and her sick experiments.


	10. The Kawatche Cave

-Chapter Ten-

_The Kawatche Caves_

"Clark we don't know these people!" Jonathon exclaimed once Clark had returned and explained what had happened. He looked over at Clark as Clark ran through the barn looking for the book Swann had sent him before he had died.

"I know Buffy," Clark snapped back as he opened his draw taking out the over hardback books resting inside. He stopped and looked at the bottom of the draw to see what he had found, "I trust her."

"She knows your secret, doesn't she?" Martha said quietly with understanding, "she's that girl you met when you were in Metropolis."

"She saved me," Clark replied as he flicked through the book looking for the page.

"She gave you back the ring," Jonathon argued defensively though he knew whatever he said wouldn't change Clark's mind, "she let you run loose in Metropolis. Sound like someone we know?"

"She's nothing like Alicia," Clark retorted turning around angrily, his patience wearing thin. Why couldn't they just trust him? "She believed I would do the right thing... she never left my head after I put that ring back on... I was different... I could fight the red Kryponite... because of her."

Martha looked at him knowingly as he slammed the book shut seeing what he found. "You really like her don't you?" She said knowingly.

"I-I don't know," Clark spluttered looking away from his parents, he knew the answer deep down but he couldn't say it... for some reason he just couldn't. "But I trust her and Mr. Giles... Dr Swann left me this mission and I can't let these stones fall into the wrong hands."

Before his parents could argue Clark was gone with the book leaving with Martha and Jonathon, a world of worries; as usual.

It didn't take long for Clark to get back to Giles' house, everyone was there waiting for him. No sooner did he walk in Giles had taken the book from him finding page with the map in it. Clark knew Lex had the map, he had seen it but it was bad luck that Bart had stolen it before he could see it but then, he didn't count on Swann having the original.

"This amazing," Giles said in awe.

"You say that all the time Giles," Buffy said rolling her eyes.

"I know but how could we have never seen it before," Giles said.

"It was hidden within the map," Clark said, "only I could see it using my X-Ray vision... guess it was left for me as Swann said."

"Or for another one of your people," Giles said.

"Well what does it say G-Man?" Xander perked up.

"Yeah Giles, does it say where these stone thingies are?" Willow asked enthusiastically.

"Y-Yes," Giles said softly, "it's in Sunnydale.... in the tombs of the Kawatche tribe..."

"Kawatche?" Clark said this catching his attention, There were two Kawatche tribes? One in Smallville and one in Sunnydale? How could that be? Professor Willowbrook said his people resided in Smallville,; was that just one part of his people? Do they worship Naman? These thoughts trailed through Clark's mind at superspeed making it hard to keep track. "There's a tribe of kawatche in Smallville... well there was."

"Yes," Giles said walking to his book shelf and taking a book from it opening it, "this tribe. We have had some experience with in thanksgiving."

"Wait!" Xander cried horrified, "the syphilis guys? Indians sending syphilis?"

"Yes," Giles said ignoring Xander's panicked state. "they seemed to have travelled through the country over a hundred years ago... according to some witnesses at the time they seemed protective of their caves throughout the country said to be waiting for their god to return.... there are two caves.... one protecting the stone of power and the other meant to be the passage way to the treasury of knowledge as legend states."

"Where is this cave?"

It wasn't Clark that said it. But, Riley who had just walked through the door looking very serious. More serious than Buffy had ever seen him and he was a cadet boy, proper boy scout. Giles looked at him suspiciously for a moment but then looked at Clark. "It's at the far side of Sunnydale.... near the old church," he said.

"It's not far," Buffy said just a few blocks away, "that's handy."

"Should only take me a second to get there," Clark said standing up.

"There are members of the Initiative there," Riley butt in quickly looking closely at Clark, "I best take you... say your a new recruit otherwise you'll be arrested if they catch you."

Clark thought for a moment. It would be easier he thought to himself. "Sure," Clark nodded, "let's go."

"I'll go with you," Buffy said standing up.

"No," Riley interjected, "the guys are kind of jumpy around you... Clark I can get in but it'll be hard getting you in and getting them to trust me."

Buffy went to argue but Clark placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's alright," Clark said smiling warmly at her, a wash of reassurance going over Buffy as he smiled at her. "I'm invulnerable remember?"

"Not entirely," Buffy hissed.

"They don't know that," Clark chuckled. He nodded towards Riley, whose focus from him and Buffy flickered away as he turned to the door. Clark and Riley walked to the door putting Gile's map in his pocket.

"Okay Will," Buffy said quickly After Clark and Riley left. "Could you hack into the mainframe of this Initiative for me?"

"Err... I'm not sure it's kind of a big secret underground facility I don't know if I'd be able to even get into it, let alone find it," Willow said nervously looking around for a little help but Giles was deep in thought and Xander was eating as always with Anya looking dreamily; bored.

"Please try," Buffy replied reassuringly smiling to her.

"What's this about Buff?" Xander asked with his mouth full. He picked out a bit of a doughnut as it dangled on his cheek.

Buffy looked a little disgusted by yet another one of Xander's eating habits. "I have a feeling Walsh hid something... Something Adam might be know about... Something dangerous."

"I'll try," Willow said quickly.

"Thanks Will," Buffy smirked looking over worriedly at a pensive Giles. What was he thinking? And why did he look so much more serious than he usually was? It was like he was thinking of a big bad coming? What was it?

Riley was right, the initiative troops were jumpy around the area. It was just a church, Clark thought as he passed the leering eyes of the troops with Riley. Did they know? Had they found it? Was he too late? Where they guarding it?

"Riley? Are you sure they haven't found it?" Clark said with a look of seriousness to mask his worry, if they found it... he'd have failed.

"Not that I know of," Riley said walking through the small cemetery surrounding the church. "No... I don't think so. If we had I'd have known about it."

"Good," Clark said as he stood in the middle of the cemetery staring at the ground looking around closely seeing only the empty caskets of decayed bodies and bones scattered across the cemetery. It made Clark's heart ache to see some of them laid resting there, some of them new to their graves with bite marks in their necks. A part of him wanted to just fire a blast of heat vision at them and put them out of their misery, but he couldn't... they had a second chance. It might not be good one and yes, they may be evil but they still had the choice to turn back. In Buffy's emails she had mentioned Spike helping them out a couple of times, for money of course, but its a start. Maybe these vampires deserved the same chance. He could hear Buffy saying he was naive, that they could never change, but Angel changed and maybe Spike could too.

"Clark?" Riley asked confused.

"Sorry," Clark said looking down his eyes widening at the entrance, "I found it," he pointed to a crypt, "it's over there."

Riley nodded walking with Clark to the Crypt it didn't take long to get in, Clark made short work of that ripping open the doors and climbing within the crypt. Clark stopped at the crypt. "I don't feel comfortable ripping open someone's resting place," Clark said softly.

"Well it has to be done," Riley said understandingly. He looked at Clark closely, "And that's an order."

Clark smiled grabbing the tombstone digging his hands into the stone and ripping it from the floor to find a hole underneath. Its dark and yet candles seem to be leading the way to somewhere. "This is it," Clark said walking to down the steps. Riley follows breathing heavily as he did.

Clark looked around the cave it was smaller than the Kawatche cave yet it had the same type of feeling, full of wonder and paintings that made only half sense. Strange drawings of creatures, monsters, a dark monster with a light inside him, a monster bound by a leash and trying to grab for a light and a woman fighting the strange monsters a symbol over them. _Soul_. "Buffy?" Clark said quietly.

"What about her?" asked Riley trying to hide the accusing tone that Clark couldn't mistake.

"These drawings I think they're about her," Clark said curiously stroking the paintings he felt something in the wall calling to him. The same high-pitched hum he usually heard from Kryptonian artefacts yet, it was softer as though trapped somewhere.

"I thought these drawings had something to do with you?" Riley snapped looking around and at Clark.

"I thought so too," Clark said following the noise. He turned to Riley with confusion, "are you okay?"

Riley nodded, "sorry just confusing this place... that and I'm getting the willies down here."

"Yeah," Clark said softly focusing on the noise again stopping at a wall were like the Smallville caves an indentation can be seen around symbols the same as the others in the cave, all with monsters and symbols. What did they mean Clark thought? _Exiles in hell, betrayed and saved, one must be chosen and the time turns back to start again_? What did it mean? Clark thought, _Exiles in hell_? Was that him and Buffy? Did it mean Metropolis? What did Buffy have to do with him? He pressed his hand on the indentation. It glowed. A Blinding light illuminating from behind the wall as...

Clark groaned in pain as a green glow appeared from behind him. He staggered as the cave rocked with the wall moving. A reluctant Riley stood holding Kryptonite. "I'm sorry Clark," he gulped sadly, "I have no choice."

"Riley... Please..."

"I can't," Riley said, "this is how it has to be..."


	11. Getting Captured

-Chapter Eleven-

_Getting Captured_

"Riley listen to me.... you don't have to do this," Clark groaned weakly as a searing pain filled his veins he tried to crawl away from the kryptonite knowing full well that he couldn't, but he wasn't going to let it beat him; he had to do something. "Please... that stuff will kill me..."

"I don't have a choice," Riley said jitterly stroking the back of his neck, "this is how it has to be.... Lex was right... she isn't safe around you."

"Lex? Buffy?" Clark groaned looking up angrily at Riley, "this is what this is avbout? Riley Lex can manipulate people I know... but you can't trust... you can't let him do this..."

"I'm not," Riley said, "I tried to protect you... I told Lex you didn't know anything... but now I realise what he's been saying... you look down on us I can see from these symbols that you take what you can..." he walked forward keeping the kryptonite at Clark as he walked through the hole in the wall to find a triangular stone sat on a small altar. Riley looked at the stone scared, "I have no choice... I've never had any choice..." Riley picked it up putting it in his pocket quickly, turning back to Clark; he moved the kryptonite at him as Clark made a lunge for him falling to the ground, "ever since I joined the Initiative... I've lost a lot of things... my parents, my sense of right and wrong, my own free will..."

"Then, don't let them win," Clark groaned rolling around in pain.

"I can't fight him," Riley said glumly, "I'm in his control. Like I've always been; a lapdog but, I'm not going to lose the one thing that's going in my life... I want let you have her Clark... even if she is your soul mate."

Riley lifted the kryptonite over his head. He looked conflicted but then a blank look appeared on his face. He looked down on Clark, "I can't," he cried dropping the Kryptonite and running off unbeknownst lurking in the shadows with glee; was Spike. "Looks like Soldier boy's doing something naughty," Spike said darkly, "time for me to be the good guy..." he stepped out but stepped back in as at least five Initiative troops run in all holding guns at Clark on the floor. Spike shrugged and walked back into the shadows uninterested in the men with guns.

"Where is Riley Finn!" shouted Forrest angrily, "he was here with you! Where is he?"

"Help me," Clark groaned before passing out.

"Take him to HQ for questioning," Forrest said to one of the troops. Two of them grabbed Clark carrying him away unconscious as the piece of kryptonite lay on the floor.

"I'm in," Willow said proudly as she finally hacked through the Initiative mainframe through hundreds of firewalls blocking her way. An array of information ran down the screen. "Seems the Initiative has been busy, its cells are over crowded they're mixing Fararill demons with Kazkell demons and Vampires with Teagons and from their log reports ending with nasty results.

"Well of course," Giles said exasperated standing up and leaning over Willow's shoulder the laptop, "those two species despise each other ever since the Kleegan Massacre of 345 AD."

"Thanks for the information Giles," Buffy said uninterested leaning over to the laptop. She looked at the screen confused, "I haven't had that many demons to fight they've had a lot on their hands whereas I've had a holiday."

"Yeah why are all the demons after the soldier boys?" Xander said with a mocked sadness at this.

"Adam," Buffy said knowingly the thought springing in her mind, "he's going to attack the Initiative from the inside rather than out. Get so many demons inside that they get overcrowding and all try to break out attacking the troops unaware.

"His Trogan horse," Giles said in awe, "intriguing and dangerous at the same time."

"I'll call Riley and warn him," Buffy said.

"I don't think Soldier boy needs much warning about Frankenstein's plan," came a voice from the door. They all turned to see Spike stood there looking smug at the news he had.

"What does that mean?" Buffy said.

"Well, to put it plain for you," Spike said snidely rolling his eyes, "soldier boys gone and turned into Adam's lapdog doing some crazy green rock mojo and one of his comrades in the caves under the old church."

"Clark?" Buffy gasped.

"That it," Spike said clicking his fingers at Buffy and pointing at her as he remembered the name, "and from the look you're giving, I can understand why soldier boy went nutty on the big strapping young man. And from his ramblings with he wants the young lad out of the way."

"Where is he?" Buffy snarled dangerously her eyes blue eyes flaring at Spike.

"Those initiative lot took him away for questioning when Riley ran off with some stone," Spike said smugly, "you sure have a bad choice of men don't you slayer... somehow they always turn on you. Let's hope this Clark lad doesn't..." Buffy stood glaring at him, "....or maybe he has, maybe that's what turns you on eh Slayer? A little bit of the darkness."

"Get out," Buffy snarled.

"I'm not even in," Spike smiled knowingly, "but I best be off. If Robocop is going to take over Sunnydale I wanna get front row seats."

And with that Spike was gone leaving Buffy stood there livid. "We have to fight Adam," Buffy said angrily, "we have to save Clark. And we have to get into the Initiative."

"But, how?" Xander said, who was now Anya-free. "Adam's far stronger than you and Clark will be guarded by hundreds of soldiers and we don't know how to get in there."

"The front door," Buffy said softly, "as for Adam... I say we give him everything we've got. Giles, you once mentioned a spell to combine essences..."

"We found him in the caves similar to the photos you gave us of the Kawatche Caves in Smallville," Colonel Haviland said to Lex as they travelled down the emergency lift hidden within the Fraternity house, "troops guarding that site state he was with Agent Finn when going in we found him down there after they heard commotion to find him down and Agent Finn gone. There is definitely something strange about this one."

"What does this have to do with me?" Lex asked a little peeved at being interrupted during an important business deal with LuthorCorp.

The doors of the lift open and to Lex' horror Clark lay in a lone cell unconscious. Lex's eyes widened he ran to the cell banging on the glass worriedly. "Clark? Clark?" Lex shouted worriedly tapping at the glass. He turned to Haviland, "what have you done to him?"

"He was found that way," Haviland said stiffly, "we don't know what happened to him... or Agent Finn?"

"Let him go," Lex barked angrily.

"Not until we know where Agent Finn is," Haviland barked back standing closer to Lex so that he was towering over him.

"I have put a lot of money into this operation Colonel," Lex said, "in fact nearly all of it. It'd be a shame if this operation suddenly lost its biggest benefactor. Now let him out!"

Haviland looked at him closely and smiled. "No," he sneered, "this isn't _your_ company Mr. Luthor. You don't make orders here... I do. And I'm saying by order of the United States government that boy stays here and you are to leave Sunnydale and this Institute immediately."

"What?" Lex hissed shocked by what was being said to him.

"Your government thanks you Mr Luthor for all your donations to this cause," Haviland said, "but you are no longer needed," Lex opened his mouth to speak, "any attempt to cancel your account with us or speak of this operation is now an act of treason. Your company will be taken away your money your assets liquidated and you sir, will be looking at a long time in state prison."

Lex glared at Haviland who nodded to some soldiers. They walked over to Lex's side. "Take Mr Luthor to the airport," Haviland ordered, "see he makes his flight back to Smallville."

They marched away taking Lex with them another soldier marched over to Haviland saluting him. "Sir, we've traced the computer that's hacked into our mainframe," He said, "it's local."

"Send a team, arrest them," Haviland said, "if it's a hostile kill them."

"Yes sir," the soldier said marching away quickly leaving Haviland time to stare curiously at Clark, a touch of spite in his eyes.

"I've got it," Willow said excitedly, "okay with this spell we should be able to combine all our essences into one entity... Buffy."

"But wait," Xander said sceptically, "as much as I wanna be all essency with Buffy," he waved away the strange looks they all gave him, "what about Clark? I mean he's far powerful than Buffy. He could take Adam."

"Not if Adam's using the stones as a power source," Buffy said knowingly.

"Incredible," Giles said wondrously, "he'd have power's beyond mention with that inside him."

"I think this spell could give me an edge," Buffy said, "if we get Clark away from the Kryptonite. He'll be able to take Adam on with me as well as keep the vamps out of our hair."

"Five against one are better odds," Xander joked.

"But how do we get into the Initiative?" Willow asked confused.

SMASH!! Everyone jumped in horror as five commandos dived through every window in Gile's house. Some appearing upstairs and others breaking down the window until finally they were all surrounded. At least twenty soldiers were now holding guns at them and Forrest walked with a smug look on his face. "Buffy," he said snidely, "your under arrest."

"That's how," Buffy whispered to Willow.


	12. Hostile Takeover

-Chapter Twelve-

_Hostile Takeover_

"You have returned," Adam said stiffly and yet with surprise as Riley stood there in the middle of Adam's underground lab hidden within the Initiative a large generator stood behind him. "I apologise, I did not expect you back so soon. Do you have it?"

Riley glared at Adam angrily feeling his insides bubble as he took out the stone from his pocket. He threw it at Adam's feet. It landed with a clink and Adam bent down and picked it up. Riley growled running at Adam pushing him up against the wall before he could get the stone. He bent back his arm ready to punch Adam stopping immediately as Adam said, "stop."He glared at Adam angrily as he strained to get his arm free from the invisible restraints from within. "You would do well not to do any more irrational actions," he looked over Riley's shoulder, "Spike, what news do you bring? Let go."

Riley backed off turning to see Spike stood against the wall. "You certainly are joining the bad side soldier boy," Spike said smugly swaggering over to the two, "It's done. Slayers on her way to Initiative."

"Good work," Adam nodded.

"Oh don't thank me our dear comrade here did all the work I just gave them a little push," Spike said smugly, "leaving a young boy to die and then letting him get captured. And I thought I was bad."

"I didn't..."

"Quite," Adam interrupted picking up the stone. "Our plans are complete."

"Good now time for chiporectumy," Spike said quickly and with longing.

"Almost complete," Adam corrected himself. He looked upwards, "we are under them. It is now time to upgrade," he added longingly as he looked at the stone of power. He punched a hole in his chest Spike recoiling as he did. He groaned softly as he pulled out his power core he ripped out a wire flicking his wrist and welding the wires to the stone. He placed it in his power core sighing with relief as he did. He looked at them closely...

Suddenly, his eyes shot open and the stone hummed a high-pitched tone. Adam smiled hungrily as he became supercharged turning and firing a blue blast at the generator it coming on full force. "Stage one," he growled, "is complete... now for stage two."

"How dare you try to hack into a government facility, did you think you'd get away with this?" Colonel Haviland growled at Buffy as she and others were escorted into the Initiative briefing room computers and monitors surrounding them.

"Where is Clark?" Buffy demanded. "Tell me where he is."

"I will give the orders around here!" Haviland barked outraged, "and if you mean the Hostile from the caves he is taken to our detention cells."

"You have to get him out of there," Giles said quickly.

"Yes, you have to," Willow added quickly, "he's in great danger if he's there."

"Adam's here Colonel," Buffy interrupted abruptly, "he's here and he's planning an attack using your detention cells you have to get Clark out of there. He's an innocent."

"Our scanners have sensed unnatural qualities with him," Haviland snapped back, "and as for this Adam. Every quarter of this facility is safely guarded I know every inch of it. He can't get in."

"He can if there's secret labs," Buffy argued desperately thinking hard on how Adam could get in, "that's how he's getting in," she said wide-eyed as a thought hit her, "he's getting in through project 3:14. He's going to open all the cells and let all the demons and vampires out and let them attack you guys from the inside."

"Those demons are already killing themselves if he opened them there won't be any left for us to have to fight," Haviland argued lividly as he walked over to Buffy towering over her his face turning beetroot.

"You have no idea what you're dealing with," Buffy snarled, "Adam is more powerful now he has that stone you've been searching for."

"What?" Haviland gasped looking at her wide-eyed.

"Clark was guarding the stone you fool," Buffy snapped indignantly, "he's no threat, he's here to help. Now let him out!"

"No," Haviland spat glaring her his face turning to confusion as the lights suddenly turned off. "What's happening?"

"Our network's closed down," a technician said at his monitor, "all doors and exits have been locked down. We're locked in Colonel."

"It's Adam," Buffy said knowingly. "Turn the monitors to the detention cells and you'll know I'm right."

Haviland nodded to the technician. He flicked a switch and a look of horror creeped across everyone's face as only sheer massacre could be seen. Vampires ganging up on lab techs biting at them; mauling them even demons were fighting demons. Blood swam across the white florring splashing across the glass cells. "Clark," Buffy whispered as she saw him lying unconscious on the floor of his cell. "We have to get down there."

"Soldier move out," Haviland ordered turning to Buffy, "we will handle this. This is our facility. Soldiers guard her."

"Colonel we..." Buffy started but was blocked by the soldiers as Haviland moved out with hundreds of soldiers. She glared at the soldiers angrily.

"Spike bring me bodies," Adam ordered, "I want demon and human body parts to make my army."

"What about the chip?" Spike snapped impatiently.

Adam closed his eyes. "Yes, you have done enough work for today," he said, "I shall honour my agreement. Riley.... take his head off."

Riley stood up trying to stop even though he'd wanted to do this for so long. He wanted to do this by his own terms. He hated being controlled. He hated what was happening to him. He grabbed Spike pushing him up against the wall glaring at him. His face filled with the strain of trying to regain control. "Sorry private," Spike said stabbing his cigarette in his face. Riley screamed in pain backing away. "well not really," he added scurrying off out of the lab.

"Don't worry," Adam said smiling, "I'll get him myself," he turned and walked up the ladder, "sit," Riley sat, "stay. I'll be back soon... it's time I test my powers on the slayer."

The guards fell as Buffy punched them both. Both of them no match for her slayer strength. "Okay, I'm going to 3:14. I'll fight Adam hold him off for a bit. You guys find Clark and get ready for the spell," she said taking charge at last.

"Erm... Buffy I don't think you'll need to go to 3:14," Xander said worriedly as he glanced at the security monitors. "Adam's kinda out in the open."

Buffy walked over to the monitor to see Adam stood in the Initiative firing blue circling blasts at the initiative soldiers and demons. Flames exploded upwards into the air as Adam blasted his way through the facility, scientist and soldiers flying in the air. "Okay," Buffy said anxiously, "you get set up here. Get the sepll ready. I'll take on Adam."

"What about Clark?" Willow asked worriedly.

Buffy stood there conflicted for the first time in the past hour she didn't know what to do. Fight Adam? Save the Initiative and Sunnydale? Or Save Clark? "I'll get him," came a voice from the door. They turned to see Spike.

"Don't hurt him!" Buffy snapped as she passed him.

"Like I could," Spike said rolling his eyes and following after her Giles and the others closing the door behind them.

Buffy ran down the corridor rolling out of the way of a demon as it swiped at her in the epicentre of the Initiative. She jumped up punching a sea-weed covered demon in the ribs and elbowing him to the ground. Spike spun kick a few demons as they came at him flipping them to the ground. "Get Clark!" Buffy cried turning to him as she stabbed a vampire in the chest with a broken metal pole.

BANG! She ducked down as an explosion occurred above her. She turned to see Adam stood there. He was breathing heavily as he stood there, his chest glowing a blue light. "I thought that would get your attention," he said stiffly, "I'm glad you could be here."

"What's a little massacre and world domination without me interfering, huh?" Buffy smiled.

"Shall we begin?" Adam nodded smiling thrusting his chest out and firing a blue beam at Buffy. She dived out of the way just in time.

Willow sat laying torches down in a circle around her placing a jar on the floor in the middle of the circle. "Just glad they didn't check through our bags," she sighed as she sat next Giles and Xander.

"You sure you'll be able to do this?" Xander asked gingerly.

"I'm sure," Willow said with determination.

"Shall we begin?" Giles asked shuffling on the ground a bit as he looked at the monitors. Willow nodded closing her eyes and began the incantation. They all joined hands.

Spike ran into the detention centre seeing a scientist withering weakly on the floor. He looked at him closely bend down and opening his mouth. "Ahh!" He yelled holding his head, "okay guess still works if they half dead."

He ran down the detention cells until finally he got to Clark. He bent down shaking him. "Come on Clarky time to wake up," Spike sang looking around in case anyone was coming. "Aww screw it," he snapped he screamed in pain as he smacked Clark across the head falling back holding his hand against his head then gasping and holding his hand in pain. "Jesus you bloody tit what you made of."

"Harder stuff than most farm boys," Clark said groggily as he woke up, he knelt up looking around, "where am I?"

"Initiative, now can you toddle along and go fight Adam along with the Slayer..."

"Buffy," Clark said perking up standing up. He looked down at Spike, "you okay?"

"Peachy," Spike grumbled rubbing his hand. Clark smiled weakly nodding to him and running off.

BOOM! BANG!! Buffy flipped out of the way of Adam's blast as he fire blast after blast at her. She grabbed a gun as she flipped off a lab table flicking it at his head as she landed to the ground. He blasted it in pieces in no time.

He's toying with me, Buffy thought as more explosions occurred; an Initiative soldier dropping to the ground, any one of these demons could jump me now. He must have told them not to interfere. Hope Willow and the others hurry up with that spell soon. That stone has really giving him a power boost I don't think I can last much longer.

BOOM! Buffy flew back knocking into the wall as Adam fire a blast at the floor knocking her off her feet. She got up slowly looking up at her. He held up his mechanical arm new metal attachments growing and turning into a machine gun. He smiled, "I've been upgrading." He held his gun arm up ready to fire.

BANG!! He flew back as a fiery blast hit him at his side knocking him away from Buffy. Both Adam and Buffy turned quickly. Adam's eyes turned livid with rage whereas Buffy's eyes swam with thanks and relief as Clark stood there ready to fight. "Why don't you test them on me?" he said smiling at Adam.


	13. The Enjoining Spell

-Chapter Thirteen-

_The Enjoining Spell_

Clark stood there glaring at Adam Buffy running up next to him. She looked at him smiling. She couldn't help it. "Nice save," Buffy quipped.

"Well, I owed you for last time," Clark smiled. Clark's face softened looking at her worriedly. "You okay?"

"I'm fine," Buffy nodded turning to Adam as he got up from his feet a burn mark on his demonic cheek. "He doesn't look it.... nice hit."

"I was kind of aiming for his head," Clark mumbled a little embarrassed, Buffy scoffed lightly smiling at him, "guess I'm still weakened from the Kryptonite."

WHACK! Clark flew back five feet into the air as Adam appeared out of nowhere smacking him in the face. "That's good to know," He said grabbing a kick from Buffy and flinging her away. Clark supersped at him punching at him only for Adam to catch it. "Intriguing... that twinged a bit... you must be the power I sensed," Adam said looking Clark over. He twisted Clark's hand. Clark screamed in pain falling to his knees. "Your powers are amazing," Adam continue blocking a punch from Buffy whilst still looking at Clark. He flung his arm throwing Clark fifty feet into the air. "But this power source has doubled my powers and...." Buffy ran at Adam sending punches after punches at him, even with her Slayer reflexes kicking in Adam could still see her moves and was blocking them with ease, "... given me some major upgrading."

Buffy threw a punch at Adam, he caught it. Buffy gasped at the sheer speed, he was as fast as Clark. She looked down at the stone in his power core. That's it, she thought, it's given him Kryptonian powers and that doubled with his half man half demon half cyborg powers... I'm not match for him. Her eyes widened as he smiled at her and her mouth fell open with terror. She was scared. For the first time, since being a Slayer, the unknown had hit her, she was going to die if the spell didn't work.

"Quick!" Clark yelled as he appeared behind Adam getting him in a full nelson, Adam's grip on Buffy breaking as he did this. "the stone grab it now!"

"Right," Buffy said quickly lunging at Adam only to kicked in the stomach. She fell to the ground winded. What a kick, she thought. Adam spun around so that he was facing Clark. Clark's eyes widened as a blue glow grew around his chest... Adam's chest. He looked down as the power core and then up at Adam. He couldn't move, he wasn't fast enough, his legs were locked to the ground. "Good bye," Adam said as a blue blast shot from his chest knocking Clark back as it hit him square in the chest. He flew backwards, the blast burnt against his flesh. It was agony, he could feel it bubbling at his skin he hadn't felt pain like this since Professor Woodrow that or Isabel. It wasn't long before he felt the familiar hard rough feeling of concrete hit his back as he with ease exploded through it as if it was cardboard. He slammed to the floor sliding to a halt against something metal.

"Clark!" he heard a familiar voice. He looked up to see Riley sat in a seat looking at him worriedly.

"We call upon the powers of the Slayer," Willow began lighting the candles as she started the incantation Xander and Giles sat cross legged both looking a bit apprehensive about the spell, "as our slayer walks into battle..." she continued to light the candles leaning back as she finished and copying Xander and Giles, "let us join her in battle... let us become ONE!"

Willow flicked her head up as she went into a spiritual trance speaking quickly in Samalian Giles and Xander closing their eyes and copying her.

Buffy punched at Adam. He took the hit stumbling backwards with each punch. She jumped up kicking him in the chin knocking him to the floor. She stood over him in a fighting pose grabbing a pole and lunging at him. He flung his arm knocking her away. Buffy skidded across the floor hitting a turned over desk.

"That was a nice few punches," Adam smiled, "but sadly you like your friend are beneath me... this stone shall bring life to my army and rejuvenate the human and demon populous. Stripping the flaws and making the perfect race."

Buffy glared at him as he lifted his machine arm at Buffy. He opened fire and a large array of bullets flew at him. She dived over the table. Bullets richochetting of the metal table as she sat behind it her hands over her head. Come on guys, Buffy cried in her head, Clark's out of the game I need the spell... I need you.

"Clark look it wasn't my fault," Riley said pleadingly as he sat in his invisible restraints, "I was being controlled."

"You mentioned Buffy, it wasn't all Adam," Clark said angrily glaring at Riley, "you let your jealousy get to you and you left me for dead."

"I know," Riley said bowing his head, "I'm sorry. I should have trusted her."

Clark looked up him sighing. "It wasn't your fault," Clark said, "Lex can be very manipulative. He saw a weakness and wormed his way into you... I know, trust me. Now, lets go Buffy needs help."

"I can't," Riley said, "Adam's got a chip in me... I can't move unless he tells me too."

Clark looked at him shocked. He squinted Riley suddenly turning into an X-ray. Clark could see everything his heart beating behind his rib cage. His muscles, his organs and a small chip placed next to a nerve. Clark stepped back Riley reverting to normal. "I can see the chip," Clark said nervously knowing exactly what he had to do. He suddenly grabbed Riley shoulders, Riley jumped a bit but was held down by both Clark's strength and Adam's control. "Squeeze down on me... this going to hurt," Clark warned looking down at Riley chest nervously. He flinched awkwardly as he readied himself. Riley grabbed Clark's arms squeezing down as Clark's eyes flashed red. Two red beams shot at Riley's chest burning a hole. Riley screamed in pain squeezing hard into Clark's arms.

"Ahhhh!" Buffy heard Riley's screams echo through the facility. A wash of worry filled her. She ducked down as more bullet hit at her. What was happening to him? Was he being tortured? Was Adam torturing him? What about Clark? "I can hear screaming," Adam said ceasing fire, "your boyfriend must be trying to get that chip out... foolish really."

"Yeah," Buffy said popping up from behind the table grabbing a pole, "he always was," she quipped before flinging the pole at him stabbing him in the arm. He stumbled backwards growling in pain, "I guess you're not indestructible after all."

"Neither are you," Adam growled moving his arm up and firing at her bazooka at her Buffy dropped down to the ground. The explosion hitting the table, the sheer force knocking her ten feet into the air and sending her flying in the air and crashing to the floor.

"Powers that be let us it be," Willow shouted as the spell ended, "let us join her in battle.. powers of the slayer let it be!" Her head shot back as did Xanders and Giles as they gasped in shock and pain as the spell came to life.

"See," Adam said softly, "you are weak... and have nothing."

"You're wrong!" came a voice from a far. Adam turned to see Riley stood there holding a bazooka aimed at him, "she's got me!"

Riley fired the bazooka firing and shooting straight at him. Adam looked at him shocked, "stop! Stop!" he shouted as Riley fired with no avail, he had no control. Adam glared at Riley firing at a blue beam at the rocket firing towards him. Riley's eyes widened as the rocket vaporized within the blast shooting straight at him.

"Riley," Clark yelled as he appeared from behind the wall rocketing in front of Riley. Clark screamed as he took the full hit of the blast, he felt the clothes burning off of him as the blast grew around him. He stepped back firing a blast of heat visions. The two beams parried against each other both trying to break the others. Sparks flew burning against the concrete floor. Clark pushed himself forward walking toward Adam. He could feel every muscle in his body pushing through the blue light. Sparks flying. Clark glanced over at Riley he was looking in awe at the battle. Clark stumbled as he lost his concentration, his heat vision dissipating and the full blast of Adam's blast hitting him square in the chest. He flew backwards sliding into Riley.

He groaned in pain. His chest was burning and yet he could feel it healing already, slowly. He opened his eyes weakly feeling as though he was going to pass out but struggling to keep awake. Buffy was down, Clark thought, Riley couldn't take Adam, not with the stone... I can't give in. I won't.

He tried to pick himself up but the pain in his chest weighed him down. He could hardly move. "Having trouble?" asked Adam breathing heavily as he looked at the bruises curiously, "my powers have doubled beyond measure and yet you are only bruised. You are something different? Not demon or human... I killed them with such a blast. What are you?"

"The question you should be asking," came a distorted voice yet Clark could tell it was Buffy, at least part of it. He looked over to see Buffy stood there glaring at Adam. She seemed different; fierce. He could see the rage in her eyes; her red fiery eyes. "Is what am I?" she continued tilting her head a bit.

"You?" Adam said looking at her disinterested, "you are nothing compared to me now..."

"You know nothing of what I am," Buffy snapped her voice distorted and mixed with four. Clark felt as if there were two or more people inside her, it wasn't Buffy. "I am forever... I live in through others and you are beneath me."

Buffy lunged at Adam kicking him in the chest at a ferocious speed, almost similar to Clark's. Clark looked shocked as he watched Buffy dodge Adam's punches although to Riley he looked in confusion as he saw Adam fight a blur. Buffy caught his arm stopping and looking at him as she bent his arm. "You power source is your weakness... you are not supreme."

Adam swung at her knocking her away he flicked his wrist firing at her only for his bullets to stop in mid-air as it hit invisible force field. Adam looked in shock growling and firing a blue beam from his chest. "Buffy!" Riley yelled scrambling to his feet but being stopped by Clark. Buffy flicked her wrist a sea of birds flying out of the beam. "As I said before," Buffy said, "you are nothing."

"She's right," Clark said standing up with strain looking at Adam, "that stone is draining you not powering you, its too much for you to handle and its burning you out."

Adam stared at him shocked beads of sweat dripping down his head. "Allow me to help with that," Adam spun around his eyes wide as Buffy stood before him appearing out of nowhere. She grabbed the stone screaming in pain as she ranked it from Adam's chest. Adam growled as she pulled it out falling down to the ground as with one last tug Buffy pulled out the stone out. She stood staring at it curiously looking up at Clark with her red eyes. "Buffy?" Clark asked worriedly moving towards her.

Her eyes reverted to normal. "Clark," she gasped before fainting to the ground. Clark catching her at the last second prying the stone from her hand. He had it. He finally had two out of three stones. Only one more left... he just hoped this hadn't cost Buffy her life, he thought as he looked down at Buffy in his arms. "She going to be okay?" Riley asked worriedly.

"I don't know," Clark replied his voice cracking as he looked down at her.


	14. Saying Goodbye

-Chapter Fourteen-

_Saying Goodbye_

Clark placed the last bit of clothes in his bag as he packed up his things from the frat house. He sighed as he saw the box containing the stone. He was lucky Lex was letting him borrow the LuthorCorp jet, they didn't scan bags when their CEO tells them not to of course. Clark wasn't sure if he was going through a normal flight they'd allow him through carrying it, from the shape it looked like a weapon.

"All packed," said Giles as he stood at the door, much to the surprise of Clark.

"Mr Giles," Clark said surprised, "I thought Riley was taking me to the airport."

"Buffy is instead, she felt it best after what has happened," Giles said walking in slowly closing the door over, "I just wanted to talk to you... about some matters of importance."

Clark nodded knowingly. "Buffy," he replied.

"Yes," Giles said bluntly, "the situation between her and Riley is a sensitive one."

"I know," Clark said bowing his head, "he cares a lot for her."

"As do you," Giles added knowingly. Clark looked up nodding as he saw the look in Giles' eyes. "I know, I can see it. I don't need X-Ray vision to see it."

"What's your point?" Clark asked confused at what Giles was getting at.

Giles took his glasses off cleaning them. "You were sent here for a reason Clark," Giles sighed hating what he had to do, "both of you were... Buffy was sent to the Hellmouth to protect and I believe you were sent to Earth to protect it. You can not come back to Sunnydale."

"What?" Clark said surprised, "why? I was thinking of going to college here? Look I know Riley turned on me but he was being controlled, I can help you guys."

"I know you can," Giles said softly placing a hand on Clark's shoulder, "and that's why you must leave. Buffy has taken a shine to you, soon she will end her relationship with Riley... it doesn't take a genius to see that. If you are here, I can guarantee that you two will be together. It can't happen. For her sake more than yours."

"I don't understand," Clark said, "I'd never let any harm come to her."

"Exactly, Clark," Giles said, "exactly. You would always be there to protect her. She'll lose faith in herself. You are a powerful young man Clark, more powerful than she could ever hope to be, killing vampires would be easy for you. She'd be used to you saving her. She must always be aware of her strength and not yours being able to protect her."

Clark nodded knowingly, "I'm her weakness."

"Sort of," Giles said softly, "Buffy has come a long way but, she still has a lot to learn. She still has a mission. And so do you... you have to unite the stones... and save the world... for all of us. It's imperative that you do it Clark."

"So, you're saying that we can never be together," Clark said glumly yet knowing the answer.

And yet the answer he got what completely different to what he expected. "If you believe in what you saw in the caves," Giles sighed softly, "then yes, some day yes. But today no." Giles walked away to the door, "and Clark," he continued as he stopped at the door, "be careful with Lex Luthor."

"I will," Clark said with a look of anger at that name. Lex had tried to betray him again, this time through a friend. He was becoming more and more like his father. He grabbed his bag walking to the door.

"And Clark," Giles said again. Clark looked up at him to see him looking sadly at him, "be gentle with her."

Clark nodded and walked out of the room to the longest drive he'd ever have.

The car drive to the airport was the longest one Clark had ever had, he couldn't even look at her as she drove. He stared out of the window to try and not look at her but her reflection of her in the window and rear view mirror. It broke his heart to see her glancing at him wondering why he wasn't talking or looking at him. He could see tears swimming in her eyes, tears of confusion, sadness. She felt the same as he did; he didn't need X-Ray vision to see that.

"Clark?" Buffy croaked unable to contain herself as they continued the uncomfortable car drive.

"Yeah," Clark said turning to her for the first time.

"I'm sorry about what Riley did to you," Buffy said smiling a bit, "I guess me and you always have a pattern with us that we can't meet without being captured."

"Riley was," Clark said softly, "manipulated... it wasn't his fault."

"Well, we both know Riley sensed something between me and you," Buffy croaked looking down at the steering wheel as she parked outside the airport.

"Buffy..."

"I can't deny it Clark," Buffy said quickly cutting him off, "I do feel something for you... when I'm with you I feel like I'm whole..."

"Buffy..."

"But this can't happen," Buffy said cutting him off again.

"Buff... what?" he said shocked as he heard this.

"My life is filled with the extraordinary, the supernatural," Buffy said softly looking down at the steering wheel unable to look at Clark, "I've dated the supernatural... and it doesn't work out.... I can't do it again..."

"Angel?" Clark nodded knowingly gulping as a lump hit his throat.

"Yes... right now I've find a guy who... makes me feel normal," Buffy said softly, "that's what I need... I need someone who's going to shine a light on the darkness in my life... Riley does that... I'm sorry."

Clark nodded taking her hand. "I understand," Clark said softly, "I've felt that way too... I still do... good luck with Riley. I hope he makes you happy."

"Thank you," Buffy said sadly leaning forward and kissing him. Their lips met for just a second. She couldn't bare for it to be any more than that.

"You're still coming to my graduation aren't you?" Clark smiled.

"I don't know, I mean you missed mine," Buffy teased.

"I never got the invite," Clark said quickly.

"Clark, I'm teasing," Buffy said, "of course I'll be there. Now go on you'll miss your plane."

"It's a private jet," Clark joked getting out of the car and closing it shut, "it won't go without me." He smiled at her and she smiled at him. And he turned walking into the airport. Buffy smiled weakly. He was really gone. It had to be done, she thought.

"Bye," she said softly.


	15. Epilogue

-Chapter Fifteen-

_Epilogue_

Buffy paced up and down the magic box angrily as yet again Dawn held her up. Riley leaned against the glass smiling at her. The past few months after the Initiative had been great; their relationship had grown stronger in ways. He didn't even mind that she was going to see Clark. He had even been in contact with Clark, using his old Initiative contacts to locate the last stone for him. All in all Clark seemed to be doing well; he was going to Central Kansas University and was dating someone called Lana Lang. He hadn't said anything about that to Buffy though.

"Dawn! Hurry up!" Buffy yelled at her, "we have to make the flight if we're gonna make it to Clark's graduation."

"Buffy calm down," Joyce said, "we'll make it... must feel weird being at another graduation... feels weird me being at a graduation... I never got to go to my own daughter's one."

"You know why," Buffy moaned, "big snake... massacre... many people dying... did it sound like a good time."

"Well let's hope Clark's runs smoothly," Joyce said looking a little flustered.

"I wouldn't count on it," Dawn said worriedly running into the room with Giles.

"What you mean?" Buffy asked.

"Buffy I'm sorry," Giles said softly taking the remote and turning on the television over looking the counter. A news reader showed a meteor.

"This is KBF News," the man said seriously, "meteorologist from Metropolis this morning found a small meteor shower heading towards the town of Smallville. The Kansas State Senator has dispatched armed forces to evacuate the entire town who ironically was hit not fifteen years ago. Let us hope the casualties are less this time."

"Clark," Buffy whispered softly.

Some time later...

Clark walked into the Kawatche caves after finally finding the final stone. It had been imperative that he found it as Jor-El had said, the fate of everyone he loved depended on it. Even Lana, he thought as he placed the last stone next to the one he stole from Lex and the one he got in Sunnydale. It pained him even to see it. It pained him to hold the one he was holding. Lana had given him before saying goodbye. He hated saying goodbye.

He placed the stone on the altar a blinding light filling the room as the stones joined into a pentagonal crystal. Clark looked at it in awe as it floated in front of him shining a bright light. He knew was he had to do. He grabbed it. Lights flashed before him and he felt like he was being pulled somewhere.

Buffy gasped as she saw the massacre on the television. She had gone home. There was nothing she could do by going to Smallville. She wouldn't have been able to get into Smallville both the army and her mother wouldn't allow it. All she could do was sit and pray. Giles stood at the door looking at the door choked, waht had happened to Clark? Joyce was making coffees for everyone and tea for Giles. Xander was shuffling uncomfortably in his seat as he saw Smallville. Willow was next to Buffy holding her hand as was Riley. A single tear fell down Buffy's cheek as she wondered if Clark was there, he had told her once that Kryptonite came from the meteors that fell from Earth. What if he got hit by a meteor? Was he dead? Could he survive the hit? Was he even alive now? For some reason, she knew he was... she could feel it. He was just far away.

Clark stood in a vast snowy wasteland, the Arctic from what he could tell. He looked around the portal was gone. He was trapped. He was trapped thousands of miles away from everyone. He couldn't help them.

He looked down at the crystal. It floated out of his hand moving left and right until stopping and pointing north. Clark looked at it closely. For some reason, he understood the crystals actions as if he and it were one. He could sense what it wanted him to do. He grabbed it tightly looking at it and where it was pointing and threw it. He threw it for miles. So, he thought to himself, what happens next?


End file.
